Fight for the Future
by Andorian Ice Princess-AIP
Summary: Something worth having is worth fighting for and for House and Chase's new family it's worth everything. As their new family bond continues to strengthen its also tested with an outside threat, a close friend's family troubles and some working woes. Will they survive & be stronger in the end? CHAP 6 UP NOW
1. Old Habits & New Concerns

**Title: Fight for the Future  
****Chapter 1 – Old Habits & New Concerns**

**Summary:** AU 3QUEL to NB & FT – Something worth having is worth fighting for and for House and Chase's new family it's worth everything. As their new family bond continues to strengthen its also tested with an outside threat, a close friend's family troubles and some working woes. Will they survive & be stronger in the end?

**Disclaimer: ** House MD and its characters are not mine any of the OC's are mine (names taken from a random name generator) any resemblance to any of my readers is by pure coincidence.

**A/N: **yay we're back (sorry for the long wait but RL ganged up on me with a medical issue and I had to keep my multi-chap story count to 3 and I hope that's okay and all of you my dear readers come back!). Okay so right from the start I am going to say that NOTHING is going to permanently break apart out father/son team. But much like the last two stories there are outside forces that will try to divide and conquer. I hope you have all realized that I love our House/Chase dynamic and so won't do anything to harm that in the long run, however, I like my baddies and every so often my muse Alice has an itching to write a femme fatale! For those that didn't trust me and left or complained in the 2nd story, it hurt but I hope those with the good sense to trust me, will give this story a chance and enjoy the ups and downs, dangers, fluff and all the father/son goodness that we can offer. We like the new challenges and devious tactics a female baddie can bring and hope you'll like it as much as us. BUT ALWAYS REMEMBER the focus of these stories is House/Chase so they'll always be stronger in the end! Thank you all in advance for your amazing support and I hope you enjoy this adventure as much as the first two!

* * *

It had been one week since their first beach outing since Chase was cleared by Dr. Chan; one week since Chase's first ride on his favorite material possession – the surfboard he had been given by House and one week since a professional colleague had asked him to would be able to be a character witness in a medical hearing where there was accidental negligence and the patient was lost. But since the family had launched a personal lawsuit it was now coming down to what House was calling a paltry character assassination.

House pokes his head into Chase's bedroom that quiet Sunday morning in search of his boy, wanting to see what was delaying his arrival into the kitchen for breakfast as per their routine. Ever since Chase had been handed the legal hearing papers by Terry Halston, Chase's mind and attention had been distracted.

"Does my duckling feel like liver and onions for breakfast?" House asks as Chase just nods and looks back down at the papers in his grasp. "How about blue cheese and onion soup?"

"Sounds…good," Chase mumbles, his eyes kept downward.

"Fricasseed duckling?"

That finally makes Chase look up in wonder. "What?" He asks with a small frown as House gives him a light tap on the side of his head. "I don't know why I agreed to this."

"You thought it was a good idea at the time?" House counters.

"Would you have?" Chase challenges.

"Hell no I would have said it's a stupid idea and don't let the door hit your ass on the way out."

"He's kind of my friend."

"I would have told Wilson that," House retorts.

"That's helpful," Chase sighs as his face gently winces and House's smirk morphs into a concerned expression. House's hand gently rests on Chase's cheek and then his forehead as Chase watches in wonder, looking at House and almost daring him to give him a negative prognosis. "I didn't sleep well last week," he sighs as he flops backwards onto his bed and looks up at House with a small frown.

"Why did you say yes? I've seen his pout, it's not that convincing."

"I felt sorry for him," Chase huffs as he fold his arms under his head and looks up at House. "Why is this even an issue? He was nice to them during the whole process. He admitted the mistake was beyond his control and then…"

"The distraught family comes forward because they need the money so they are suing. Plus they have the lowest life lawyer in the book representing them."

"How do you know that?"

"I snooped. Oh yeah he's a real winner!"

"Comforting," Chase replies as he slowly sits upright and tosses the paper deposition at House who tosses it right back. Chase grabs a small pillow and hits House on the side; House grabbing the larger pillow and hitting Chase on the back of his head.

"That's child abuse," Chase lightly protests.

"Child abuse would have been if I used my cane," House states matter of factly.

"That was even an option?" Chase shakes his head as he snatches the papers back.

"Next week it'll all be over and then we'll celebrate by heading to the Hamptons."

It was that simple fact that Chase's face lit up like a happy child made telling him the news all that much sweeter. His hand rests on Chase's back and gives it a warm pat as Chase places the folded up papers onto his nightstand and then looks at House with a tight lipped smile.

"Breakfast."

"Breakfast," Chase agrees as the two of them slowly stand up and head into the hallway, Chase asking questions about the place they would be renting and feeling his agitation lessen and his excitement for his first real vacation in months starting to grow. For a few seconds he pictures himself on his board…first thing in the morning before anyone else is up – just him and the waves. Freedom.

"Are you already there?"

"Hmm thought I had more of a poker face."

"Ha! Yours is worse than Wilson's and his is the worst I've seen," House laughs loudly as Chase offers an instant pout; House looking at him with grin. Chase pulls away and heads for the fridge, House watching him in concern. Normally he'd wonder what was causing his boy's fingers to silently tighten around the handle of his coffee mug and turn slightly white as he holds on until a fatherly hand rests on his shoulder.

"Worried about the hearing?"

"What? No," Chase tries to brush it off as he remains with his back to House, his eyes nervously darting up at the cupboard and then down at the empty mug in his grasp. But when he starts to feel the silence ganging up on him, he turns to look at House with a heavy frown and then nods in resignation.

"You said it yourself it's nothing."

"Then why am I stressing?"

"You need coffee," House retorts as Chase rolls his eyes and steps aside as House reaches for the coffee grounds that he was trying to get earlier.

"It's just a technical testify," Chase starts to justify, mostly to settle his own inner turmoil.

"Stick to the script."

"They signed the waiver and…and that was it."

House stops Chase's actions mid-movement, forcing Chase's soft sapphire gaze to look up in wonder. "You hesitated."

"But it's a character assassination right?"

"That would be my guess and I'm usually right," House gently boasts.

"He did his job the same way any of us would."

"You're also a character witness right?"

"He did his job."

"Robert," House's firm but soft tone forces Chase's eyes to look back up and his posture slightly slump. "If you get up there and falter, even slightly, that low life lawyer is going to rip my boy apart and then you'll have to be called as a witness in my trial for when I kill the lowlife. Couldn't take the pout," House concludes with a small 'chirp' of his lips, making Chase's expression soften.

"I shouldn't have said yes."

"Is it giving you chest pains?"

"A few but I know it's just the stress of all this. Like you said in one week it'll all be over and I'll be okay."

"Having even mild chest pains isn't something you can just scoff at and not be concerned about. You do want to get back on that surfboard right?" House counters as Chase purses his lips. "After breakfast we'll go over what he expects of you and what you need to say and if all else fails we'll get Bruno pay a visit to the lowlife lawyer."

Chase's lips offer a small chuckle over House's suggestion, knowing that Bruno would more than agree to be the muscle; all they had to do was ask. His agitated mind slightly settles as he thinks about Bruno showing up at the lawyer's place with a large plastic bat and hitting him on the head like they do in the cartoons and the less than reputable professional falling down with a surprised look on his face.

House changes the subject to something that would bring a smile to Chase's face, sticking to their morning ritual of reading a few choice headlines from the paper and trying to find ways to mock those that were the focus of the piece. It works as Chase feels the slight pangs in his stomach subside and the tightness in his chest starting to ease.

But as soon as breakfast ends and Chase thinks about reviewing the request for the hearing, his anxiety flares and he sharply inhales.

"I think today's a perfect day for a walk. Get outside and wear off some tension," House mentions after the kitchen was cleaned and they were just going to linger as per following the rest of their weekend routine. Chase, however, can think of no real reason to turn down House's offer, and so both get their shoes and sunglasses, House his sun hat and head into the hallway; talking about a few more headlines that were a bit more controversial than the others.

They reach the end of their enjoyable walk, selecting a bench and sitting down to relax. Chase's eyes dart around before coming to rest on House's questioning glance.

"Force of habit," Chase acknowledges in a soft whisper.

"No one around to hurt my boy."

"'Cept maybe the lowlife lawyer," Chase huffs as he sags a bit further into the bench.

"Know what to expect going in and you'll beat this guy at his own game. Trust me."

"You've had dealings with him before?" Chase asks in wonder.

"Twice. Now read me that statement and then I'll see if I can pick it apart and prepare you for a showdown with the devil."

"I think I'll be okay."

"Robert…"

"Why is it when you say my name in that tone I can't seem to refuse," Chase huffs as House's lips break into a wide grin.

"Trust me. We need to do this."

Chase pulls out the statement he had prepared and then starts to read it; House listening until all the words were offered and then putting himself into the role of the loser lawyer and trying to pull apart every single word that was offered, wanting to twist it in his favor and ensure the doctor and hospital lost and the family walked away with as much as they would.

"Told you role play could be fun," House concludes as Chase leans forward and rests his elbows on his knees.

"As fun as having my wisdom teeth pulled without medication. Ah damn what was I thinking," Chase groans as House's hand rests on his back. He looks at House with a soft frown and then back down. "Think it'll be that bad?"

"I know it will be."

"Which case did you have to square off on with him?"

"Oh it wasn't that important."

"You don't want to tell me?" Chase counters as he straightens back up and looks at House directly.

"That's correct," House replies as Chase offers him a gentle eye roll. "It's not important."

"Then why won't you tell me?" Chase inquires.

"There was a child that died a number of years back and…"

"A child…I don't…"

"It wasn't my patient but I was called as a character witness on behalf of the other doctor."

"How did you do?"

"Lost."

"What?" Chase asks in shock. "You…lost?"

"Yes but you can still think of me as the brilliant genius I am."

"Oh trust me your secret of being human is safe with me," Chase gently teases. "But I am still in shock."

"I agree that it is shocking but this clever bastard was able to twist my words so that it seemed like I was just agreeing for something to do and that was it. He didn't care about the medical evidence he just wanted to make us look bad and he did. Brilliantly."

"Which doctor was it?"

"Ryder."

"What? I thought he…oh god…that's why he took his life?"

"Couldn't live with the guilt that he was found at fault of that child's death."

"But I thought that…wait…"

"Hold on my boy," House interjects in haste as he leans in closer. "Five months later a board of inquiry under the direction of Doctor Chan, whom you might know, found Dr. Ryder innocent of all charges and he was acquitted. Meant little because he was dead but it brought some peace to his family and it exonerated the hospital. It was blamed on a faulty piece of equipment that Ryder had no idea of the flaw when he used and the manufacturer found at fault it but it was too late. So that's why I want to prep you before you go on the stand."

"Okay," Chase agrees as he looks at House with an appreciative glance. The two of them sit a bit longer on the park bench before it's time to get up and slowly head back to the apartment to finish off the rest of their day, just relaxing and enjoying the last few hours of their Sunday.

After dinner the two of them bring their Sunday to a close by watching some lame reality show on TV and offering their own play by play commentary and just enjoying each other's company. But despite giving answers with a genuine smile, some of Chase's answers are pulled and almost feel contrived and House knows his precious boy's mind is now thinking about the hearing and it was causing his happiness to wane.

Just as their show draws to a close, Chase watches House push himself up from the couch and disappear into the hallway and out of view. Thinking that it was time to call it a night and House wasn't in the mood for bedtime pleasantries, Chase flips off the TV, turns off the light in the living room and slowly heads down the dimly lit hallway toward his bedroom.

Chase pulls on his night shirt just as House knocks on the door and then enters with an object in his grasp.

"Haven't had to bring this out for a few months but I think until this legal fiasco is over you might need it. I don't want you at work around live patients ready to fall asleep and do them and yourself harm," House explains as he hands the small device to Chase.

Chase looks down at the CD player with the relaxation CD into it and then back up with a tender smile. "I tried to hide my agitation."

"I know you remember?"

"Tonight I don't mind," Chase admits humbly as he places the CD player on his bed side table and then slumps back down on the edge of his bed, his hands folding into a ball on his lap. "I was hesitant at first…I should have listened to my gut. I always want to help the underdog."

"And that isn't a bad thing most of the time. But this time it could be," House comments in a tender tone as he sits down beside Chase on the edge of the bed, his shoulder playfully nudging Chase on his left. "Just remember, sometimes it's okay to take a page out of my book and say no."

"What if he had gotten a subpoena?"

"What if he asked someone else?" House counters in haste as Chase looks up in wonder. "You don't always have to be the one that falls on the sword for every hard luck case that comes his way. You're too valuable to me to lose to some medical mishap."

"Is it too late to back out now?" Chase asks with a heavy sigh as his shoulders slump and his head lolls to the left and rests on House's right shoulder; House's arm stretching out and wrapping protectively around Chase's shoulders and giving them a squeeze.

"You gave your word and now you have to honor that because if you back out now, it'll eat away even more than it is right now – if that's even possible," House replies with a heavy sigh. "But we will get through this like we have everything else and you'll be fine and we will go on our holiday."

Chase gives House a nod and then whispers goodnight and watches as the older man pushes himself up from the bed and slowly heads toward the opening. He turns back and gives Chase a fatherly smile before he disappears around the corner, not to be seen again until morning.

After pushing himself under the covers, Chase pushes 'play' on the CD player and allows the soothing relaxation music to fill the space around him; his brain telling him to latch onto a happy memory and hold onto it for the remainder of the night. And for the most part it works, Chase seeing himself on the surfboard and feeling the happiness starting to comfort him and warp him in it's protective arms until early morning.

However, about an hour before he's to wake up, Chase's mind replays his discussion with Terry Halston and suddenly his chest seizes and he finds himself gently gasping for air. His eyes snap open and he looks over at the clock with a frown before he looks away and rolls onto his side, his back to the clock.

_I should have said no, _Chase's mind groans as he closes his eyes and tries to get his heart rate to slow. The exercise proves futile as he sees himself on the witness stand, question after question being fired at him until his heart seizes and he fades to black as House shouts his name in the fading distance.

"Damn…shoulda said no," Chase whispers as he rolls back onto his other side and reaches for the ear buds. After he pops them in, he turns the volume up slightly and then tries to find another happy memory. He finally fixes on House telling him about their summer week stay in the Hampton's at the rental House down the block from Dr. Chan's brother's place and his mind is able to offer him another bout of restful sleep until his morning alarm goes off.

House hears some soft shuffling in the hallway the next morning, a few seconds later the bathroom door closing and the shower starting up. He lies in bed thinking about the countless times he'd gone to bed with silence engulfing him and then wake up the morning with the same situation greeting him with open arms.

Having the younger man a permanent fixture in his home was more than a god-send it was something he had come to actually enjoy. Sure there were tense moments and the occasional argument, but the good outweighed the bad and this was his new family now and that was worth fighting for.

House's thinks about Chase's current dilemma as he hears the younger man's voice starting to hum a happy tune in the distance and his brow furrows. _I'll be damned if I let that bastard tear my precious boy apart on the stand, _House's mind vows in silence as his frown fades as Chase starts to belt out an American rock tune with his obvious Aussie accent. A few seconds later he pushes himself out of bed and heads for the kitchen, eager to get the day started, get into work and see what new medical mystery he could pawn off on his team while he waited for them to come up with an answer he would already know.

He hears Chase exit the bathroom, still humming a happy tune and once again can't help but feel his lips slightly curl upward. _No one will ever hurt my boy again…ever. No one. And if they ever try…they will be sorry! I swear it._

XXXXXXXX

**~Melbourne Australia – 3 months earlier~**

"Look you know I'm good for it. I need that money," the female voice hisses in a low undertone; the two figures standing in the shadows in the darkened alleyway.

"You're the one that got into bed with Trent," he sneers in return. "I told you not to take what you can't pay back!"

"Arne stiffed me and I need…"

"How much?"

"Hundred large."

"What the hell!" The male leans in with narrowed eyes; the woman holding her ground. "You went to a mob loan shark and asked for a hundred grand with no means to pay it back!"

"Dan you owe me!" She hisses right back. "Don't make me call in a favor of my own!"

"You're a cold bitch."

"Where is my money?"

"And how do I know you'll pay me back?" He huffs as he pulls his black knapsack off his back and holds it in his grasp. She leans in closer, her fingers deftly fondling a sharp object in her grasp, her weapon ready for use.

"I promise you'll get what's coming," she whispers as her lips start to lightly kiss the sensitive skin around his sensitive lobe. But his male excitement is short lived as within seconds, a horrified gasp escapes his lips as her fingers drive the deadly object into his heart, killing him instantly. "Now I don't owe you anything," she growls as his lifeless body falls to the ground in the dark. She had purposely worn gloves; having developed her whole plan around a 90's TV episode and information she found on the internet. _Thank God for Google, _she had wryly thought when she realized what she needed to do to survive. She grabs the cash from his pocket, casually tosses the wallet on Dan's unmoving corpse, shoves the knapsack into her purse and then steals away into the night.

First stop was to pay back Trent the money and get his goons off her heels and then…_then I need something big…something big I can retire on for the rest of my life and disappear forever. _Her plan…to find a viable money source, take it and never look back; doing whatever she had to and stopping whoever she had to in her path. She pays back Trent and then takes her leave, jumping in the back of a cab and giving the driver the address to a new apartment. But fate was about to intervene, her eyes glancing down at the headline on the front page of the Melbourne Sun:

_'Millionaire and philanthropist, Dr. Rowan Chase dead.'_

At first she just shrugged it off as nothing, another rich guy dead and his money going to his family. Big deal. But it wasn't until she started to read about the late Doctor's stormy family relationships, dead estranged wife, troubled family past, his only surviving heir and becoming a social recluse at the end that the wheels started to turn in her evil mind. _He left the boy and his mother when the boy was young…the mother was forced to seek solace in the company of strangers. She's dead. Hmm what if Rowan Chase has another surviving heir? A daughter…one he never knew about? She's dead she can't say otherwise. He's dead…he can't contest. The son…he probably lives alone. I befriend…get myself into the will in case something happens and then….something happens. Rowan's son ends up dead and I inherit everything…take the money and disappear – forever. Perfect. Nothing will stop me._

The plan was perfect in her mind…of course there was something she wasn't counting on – a fatherly protector – a determined opponent – one that would fight for his son no matter what and not give up until he was declared the winner. A fight was coming – a fight for the future.

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**A/N: **Okay so …. Here we go hehe. Remember much like the last 2 stories that reached over 25 chapters, the length will depend on your support – the more reviews and love we get the longer the story will be b/c then we know we are doing the right thing. I hope you like the start, yup gotta start with some angsty tension hehe. How will the hearing turn out for Chase? Will he sail right through it or will his health be adversely affected? How will it affect his impending holiday? And don't worry you will see Wilson and Bruno in the next chapter so please let me know your thoughts in a review before you go and thanks so much!


	2. Small Warning Signs

**Title: Fight for the Future  
****Chapter 2 – Small Warning Signs**

**A/N:** Thanks to everyone who reviewed (also to Eph & Rei w/out FF accounts) and who is enjoying this story so far. I had hoped everyone from the ending of Family Ties who that said they wanted another House/Chase story had come back and I'm sorry the premise of this next installment wasn't as exciting as they might have wanted. But I hope those of you who started will all continue to like what's offered this time around.

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House's eyes slightly narrow as watches Dr. Terry Halston approach Chase in the hallway of PPTH; the cart a few feet away acting as a discreet hiding place. Terry was the doctor that had asked his beloved Robert to be a character witness in a trial that was basically a sham. He felt for the grieving family but knows that they are probably just puppets for a joke of a lawyer that was only after his cut; never once caring about dragging the emotionally distraught through an even deeper level of emotional hell. It was the lawyer, however, more so than the case itself that worried him; Chase's emotional wellbeing was still in the process of healing completely and unnecessary stress was something he had done everything to help him avoid.

"Penny for your thoughts."

"A grand."

"What?"

"Worth at least a grand," House retorts as Wilson looks at him in wonder.

"What? Usually you're not very subtle with your spying."

"Well I am today."

"Who are we spying on?"

"Robert if you must know!" House lightly snaps as he looks at Wilson with a heavy frown.

"Why?" Wilson presses as House's lips utter an exasperated sigh. "You know I'm going to ask why so why not just tell me."

"I'm worried about him agreeing to testifying at this hearing."

"Halston got Chase to actually agree to the hearing? It's sad for the family but it's a sham hearing, we all know that."

Instead of offering an audible reply, House merely gives Wilson a nod and turns around to leave.

"Hold on a second," Wilson hurries after House; Chase and Halston also dispersing and going their separate ways to get their day started. "What's going on? We've seen this in action before from this guy and…"

"It's not that. Now you know so be on your way!"

But knowing House's moods over the many years they had been close friends, tells Wilson that something other than Chase accepting the request to be in the hearing was eating away at his friend. Just before House can round the corner to head into a patient's room, Wilson gets in front, forcing House to stop suddenly.

"Aren't you needed somewhere?" House lightly growls as Wilson's expression returns one of determination.

"Are you worried about Jones? I know he's a bottom feeder but he has no case," Wilson states in a lower tone as House's expression softens. "What is going on? Chase will be fine. Is his agreeing to this really bothering you that much?"

"No it's not this damn case or that damn lawyer!" House sighs as he looks away and then back at his best friend in near defeat. "Robert just…it's nothing."

"Robert…what? What happened?"

"He accepted without telling me about it first," House admits with a heavy heart.

"Oh," Wilson merely states; his tone starting to match House's glum tone.

"He should have mentioned it to me first. I thought we had…it's nothing," House states before he pushes past Wilson and walks away as fast as his anxiety filled frame could take him. Wilson stands silently in the hallway watching House until he disappears around another corner and out of view. He understood House's emotional conundrum but in all honesty Chase had only silently accepted the role of House's would-be son a few months ago and some old habits die hard. He knows House wouldn't openly scold Chase for making the decision on his own and then telling him after the fact. It was Chase's tough luck to learn after the fact that he made the wrong decision but like any natural child, the parent would stand by his own and help him through best he could but was also unable to shield him from all the consequences the wrong choice might bear and then just helplessly watch them suffer.

But Wilson wasn't going to lose heart completely as he knows, Chase has come a lot farther than even a year ago and had warmed up to House and even acted as his fleshly son in ways sometimes neither were aware of – or would openly admit. _It'll work out in the end and they'll be stronger for it, _Wilson's mind surmises as he heads toward the elevator; his next patient already waiting.

As much as Chase tries to concentrate on what Park is telling their ailing patient, his mind is now racing with thoughts about how the hearing will go. Talking to Halston this morning about his "accidental" run in Beckford Jones on the weekend now has his stomach churning.

_'What did he say?'_

_'Asked me if I had life insurance and then laughed.'_

_'What?'_

_'Ah I heard the guy was an ass but that comment was uncalled for. Robert this wasn't my fault. The room was set up properly and I just…damn I hate that guy!'_

_'What else did he say?'_

_'Said if I didn't pray before I should start now. And then he turned to leave, paused and turned back and said…oh right it wouldn't matter anyway. It won't be answered.'_

"Jerk!" Chase blurts out, drawing the attention of the patient, his elderly wife and his PPTH colleague. "Oh sorry…not you…or…Dr. Park. Her diagnosis is spot on. Please continue," Chase sighs heavily as he turns to leave the room. He stands in the hallway mentally berating himself until he feels a hand on his arm and turns with a startled but somewhat relieved expression.

"Hey man…you okay?"

Chase looks up at Bruno and can only offer a friendly smile to his concerned friend; Park exiting the room and hovering a few meters away – looking at him in wonder.

"My mind is distracted and…no I think I made a bad decision and I should have talked to House about it first but I didn't and…" Chase pauses as his hand instantly rests on his chest.

"Robert?"

"I'm…I think it's just…a mild panic…attack," Chase stammers as he quickly tells Park he's okay and has to attend to something urgent.

"Come here a second," Bruno instructs as he helps Chase over to a nearby bench, Park rounding the corner just as Chase eases himself down.

"Now she'll tell House…and he'll worry and…"

"Hey man just slow down and take a deep breath," Bruno tells him in a tender tone as Chase leans slightly forward, his heart racing and his mind trying to keep small dark circles at bay. "What's going on? What happened?"

"I just…" Chase pauses as he takes in a deep breath and then slowly exhales, his heart rating starting to calm after a few rhythmic breaths. "I think House is disappointed with me."

"Why?" Bruno asks as Chase slowly sits upright and then leans back against the wall with a slightly flushed face.

"I should have asked him first…or told first…but…but I didn't think and now I'm paying the price."

"About what?"

"A hearing. A fellow doctor is being sued for something that wasn't really his fault but the lawyer is a low life scum and he's won his last two cases despite the fact that they were later proven it wasn't the fault of the doctor."

"And you're also being sued?"

"No and so I shouldn't be as worried as I am but I feel for Dr. Halston in this and the lawyer and…and it's my own mess but not my ass on the line so I shouldn't be stressed out as much as I am."

"But you always like to give your all, like a few of us around here," Bruno chuckles as Chase looks up with a small frown," and so we take things a bit more personally than we should," Bruno concludes as Chase nods in agreement. "When's the hearing?"

"End of this week."

"Want me to come and put down a bit of intimidation?" Bruno volunteers as Chase's face finally relaxes.

"Actually House already suggested that," Chase gently smirks as Bruno's lips crack into a wide grin.

"Ah now that's why I like Dr. House. We think alike," Bruno states with pride.

"It just might come to that," Chase resigns as his pager goes off. "I'm being summoned."

"Alright, we'll talk later."

Chase pushes himself up off the bench and heads for the stairs to go up; his mind wondering just what kinds of questions Jones would try to pick him apart with and if he'd actually knuckle under. House had already tried to anticipate the questions the shady lawyer might ask but that just worked up his anxiety even more. _Just a few more days and then this will all be over, _Chase's mind silently states as he enters another patient's room House and Taub already waiting for him.

As Chase enters, House's attention instantly turns from the patient to Chase; his eyes instantly taking note of the lingering crimson marks around the base of his jaw and the slightly teary gel residue in the insides of his eyes, was all telling him something just happened with his boy. Adding to his growing anxiety is the fact that Chase's words are clipped and his breath almost labored. _Something's wrong with my boy._

House tries to bite back his nervous anxiety as the seconds tick slowly past, watching Chase in concern; Chase's eyes darting up briefly to meet House's worried gaze and then dart back down to his chart and then at the patient. The diagnosis finally comes to an end; House shooting Taub away to go and seek out another medical remedy and then gently pushing Chase toward a quiet room.

"I'm just tired."

"That's BS…and it's not nice to lie to daddy," House's voice starts out sharp but then ends with a softer tone as Chase looks up in remorse. "What happened?" He implores tenderly.

"Small panic attack but Bruno arrived in the nick of time. I just couldn't catch my breath."

"Withdraw."

"What?"

"From the damn hearing!" House gently growls as Chase leans against the wall and exhales heavily. "This is not worth it. Tell Halston to find another patsy."

"Everyone else said no," Chase grumbles as he shakes his head and looks away before he pulls away from the wall and heads toward the window. "I wanted to have less regrets but it seems I've made another mistake I'll regret," Chase admits in a soft whisper as House slowly walks up to him, his hand resting on his shoulder and giving it a fatherly squeeze. "Are you mad I didn't tell you first?"

"Yes," House admits readily, drawing Chase's soft sapphire gaze in his direction. "Well there's no point in lying."

Chase's lips purse as he turns and looks back out the window. "I figured it was no big deal but now…"

"Now you'll just tell yourself it's going to get uncomfortable but you will get through this. Remember Jones is going to go into the hearing wanting to tear you down…rip you apart. But it's not personal. He'd do that with anyone."

"I still should have told you first."

"But no matter what I would have said it still would have been your decision. As much as I love to think of you as my darling little boy at all times, I know you are a grown man and the end decision lies with you. I would support you no matter what."

Chase hears the kind words and turns around with an instant expression of mild surprise; House's lips morphing into a soft smile. "I gave my word."

"And he's counting on having someone strong and reputable in his corner and you have to honor that. At least you rested at the moment of the attack."

"But I have to try to stop them before they start right?"

"Without extra medication," House reminds Chase as Chase's head nods in agreement. "You'll be fine. I won't let you fail, I promise. Even if I have to come up to that lawyer and beat him over the head with my cane."

"Bruno offered his muscle as well," Chase lightly retorts.

"Just don't brush this little episode off as nothing," House's hand rests on Chase's forearm, gently stopping him from leaving the room. "Even if it was a small attack it's still something to worry about. It's only been a few months since you had major surgery."

"I just need this week to be over," Chase states with a heavy exhale, House giving him a pat on the back.

"Tonight we'll go out for sushi and not give a damn about what's his face coming at the end of the week!"

"Can I pick the items?" Chase asks lightly as they leave the room and reemerge into the bust world of PPTH; Wilson coming out of a patient's room and watching them a contented smile.

XXXXXXXX

As soon as they enter their favorite Japanese restaurant, Chase's pent up tension that had been building for the better part of the day finally starts to ease. He slides onto the bench opposite House, absently looking around and then back at House to see him watching him intently.

"Feeling better?"

"Loose as a duck."

"Goose."

"What?"

"Loose as a goose," House retorts as Chase tries to downplay his grin.

"How can a goose be loose?"

"How can a duck?" House fires back as Chase's face completely relaxes and a small chuckle escapes his lips; his body sagging back into the distressed leather bench of the small booth. "Speaking of duck…"

"They don't have duck sushi….thank God," Chase mutters under his breath as he quickly snatches the menu out of House's grasp so that he can do the ordering.

House studies Chase's facial expressions as he starts to scan the menu, wanting to pick an item that'll trick House and give them something else to talk about. His mind thinks back to the moment when Chase walked into the patient's room looking flushed and then later confessed to having a mild panic attack. He knows Chase merely brushed it off as nothing to be alarmed about mostly because he still didn't want to seem a bother. Oh he wouldn't admit that openly but House knows inside that's true; it was still something Chase was working on – accepting the fact that he was wanted and House wanted to care for him as if he was his own.

"So what have you gotten me into?" House wonders after Chase hands the menu to the waitress and then looks at House with a somewhat sinister grin, well as much as he could make one.

"Are you afraid?"

"Hardly," House retorts, doing it on purpose so that Chase's bottom lip would slightly lower into a pout.

"I always fall for that," Chase mutters as House pours them both a cup of Chinese tea.

"So has Bruno asked out that nurse yet?"

"Annie?" Chase asks in shock as House nods. "Should I even ask how you know?"

"Doctor's talk."

"Wilson told you?"

"I talk to others."

"Scold is more like it," Chase lightly snickers as House's brow furrows. "But no…he's not sure she'll say yes."

"Does she like basketball?"

The conversation turns away from food to focus on their friends for a bit; Chase telling House a bit about Bruno and his dating woes and House telling him about Wilson's latest attempt at catching the eye of a new Oncology nurse. The food finally arrives and Chase feels a small measure of triumph when he watches House's face crunch as he tries to study the items before him. House didn't want to break his boy's exuberance by telling him that one time he and Wilson were there all night trying everything on the menu and there were no surprises. But for Chase he'd happily play the game.

"Is it…duck?"

"You really don't know what it is?" Chase asks eagerly.

"You got me," House playfully resigns; his heart delighting in Chase's face lighting up as he silently declares himself the winner.

"Abalone!" Chase replies in truth as House looks at him in wonder. "How's it taste?"

"Ah you have to try and then tell me."

Chase takes the somewhat foreign morsel and chews, his head shaking as he realizes that House was the one to get the last laugh at his expense. "Fine…not the best we've tried yet."

House refrains from a usual comeback, something he would have taken pleasure in in the past, reminding Chase that he should have asked first. But knowing that his beloved boy would connect it with his current emotional plight with the impending case, he decides to drop it and carry on to the next interesting item on the plate; wanting the evening to be enjoyable, not tense.

By the time they are leaving the restaurant, Chase is completely at ease and looking forward to a relaxing evening; one where he hopes he can have a good night's rest without any help. Of course the relaxation CD wasn't bothersome at all but it was the fact that he was still allowing his agitation to get the best of him that required the sleep aid that was troubling his mind.

"Just focus on Saturday," House reminds Chase as they enter their quiet apartment to retire for the night. "A whole week of nothing to do but sleep in, surf, eat fresh seafood and just relax."

"I can't wait." Chase's face lights up that mention and he says goodnight with a feeling of happiness. He crawls into bed, forcing his mind to remember his first surfing outing a few weeks ago and he's able to sleep through the night without the use of the CD or having one distressed thought or panic attack.

XXXXXXXX

The next morning he awakens refreshed and feeling elated and telling himself that if he does that each night, he'd survive the week and have the last laugh. It would sound good _only _in theory.

"But it wasn't my fault…"

"You left him!"

House hears the raised voices and frowns as he nears the patient's room, wondering which of his team was causing the commotion and undue stress. But it's not until he hears the all too familiar Australian accent that his agitation once again surges. He storms into the patient's room, forcing both the wife and Chase to look up with rather flushed faces; a team of nurses working on the male patient behind them, Chase pulling away to talk to House.

"What is going on?" House asks the patient's wife first.

"My husband went into some kind of damned arrest because this negligent doctor left him to fend for himself!"

"That isn't true," Chase tries to rebut in his defense. "No offense to your husband but I have him his instructions and if they were followed properly, when I returned none of this would have happened," Chase concludes with a heavy sigh as the frantic beeping starts to slow to a steady rhythm once again.

"Patient is stable," the head nurse mentions as she pushes past them. The other two finish up and leave the room; House looking at Chase and then at the patient's wife.

"Did your husband follow Dr. Chase's instructions?"

"You're on his side?"

"I asked a simple question," House retorts as the wife looks away as she shakes her head.

"I left for only a few moments and…"

"And you thought to blame the doctor made more sense?" House pushes firmly as she looks back in remorse. "The chart says you turned down a constant," House refers to a nurse that would watch the patient for the entire duration of his stay. "Is it because of cost?"

"Yes. It was only a few minutes," she tries once more as Chase looks at her with a heavy frown. "I just…I'm sorry."

"Please, if you are going to leave the room, make sure he understands he can't take anything in while he's on this medication. Another attack could be his last," Chase reminds her as he turns and exits the room himself, his heart rate elevated but not as high as he feared. House finishes up with the emotionally charged family member and then joins Chase in the hallway.

"It wasn't my fault. I gave him…"

"I'm not upset with you," House tells Chase simply. "Course if he had died then you might have had to worry about the upcoming character assassination at Halston's hearing."

"Comforting," Chase remarks dryly as House's lips lightly smirk.

"Is the new medication working?"

"It would…it could if he hadn't ingested that drink," Chase explains in exasperation. "He nearly killed himself. Course with his wife nagging him all the time maybe I wouldn't blame him."

House studies Chase's facial expression as his mind starts to ponder that new angle.

"What? House I was joking," Chase insists in haste.

"I need to talk to Foreman," he mentions as Chase's brows gently arch.

"Am I in trouble?"

"Yes I'll take you over my knee later," House quips as another doctor walks by with arched brows, Chase merely shaking his head as he pulls away; House heading for Foreman's office to check on their patient as he wonders about the theory that Chase just suggested. Chase lingers in the hallway for a few minutes, quickly writing down all his notes while they were still fresh in his mind.

However, it's not long before an odd uneasy feeling starts to build in Chase's stomach, forcing him to pause and turn, his eyes quickly darting at all the strange faces in the hallway but not paying any one of them more than a few seconds heed. _You are just paranoid after House's comment about the patient dying and the lawyer putting you on the hot seat also. _

But what Chase doesn't see….doesn't realize is a specific set of eyes looking back are looking back with more than a mere passing fascination with the attractive doctor. There was a plan…there was purpose…there was ill intent. When she first arrived on the Jersey Shore, her first thought was to get a hotel room, something cheap and close to transit and then start her search for the residence of Dr. Robert Chase – her new target. But upon finding nothing listed, she turned to plan B – find him at his place of employment, study it, get to it, him and the other major players he interacts with and then find out where he lives and start to watch his routine, habits and interests.

She had walked through the doors of PPTH a few days ago, wanting to just casually get the lay of the land, find where Chase's office was, if he had one and then see who his closest friends were. She even filled out a job application form; her phony alibi in place and solid. Then she turned her attention to Chase himself. She watches him with silent fascination; her eyes looking down at a nearby child as she engages it in a bit of playful talk, the mother right beside them having no clue she and her offspring were being used as decoys.

_He must get his looks from his mother, _she muses as she starts to study Chase, making a mental note about hair color, eye color and any other visible markings that a _sibling_ might share. Then she'd go back to her hotel room and transform herself accordingly.

_Out of everyone, he's interacted with that older doctor the most now. Who is he…boss? Mentor? Friend? Lover? Who? _She had seen the older doctor both praise and scold him, so her first thought was he was Robert Chase's superior. But today he was actually concerned. _Friend? _Her mind starts to ponder. _It's not his father I know that! _

She watches him disappear out of view but remains in place, not wanting to act too suspicious. She sees House round the corner and feels her eyes slightly narrow. _I don't care who you are…if you stand between me and my money I will kill you. _

With that silent but chilling thought left to hang in the air, she slowly gets up, offers a friendly wave to the woman and her child and heads for the exit, the first stop to the drug store to get some hair dye and other items and then to her hotel room.

_And then…then to insert myself into Robert Chase's life…before I take him out – for good._

* * *

**A/N:** so much like Wayne am slowly building up the tension with the new villainess as she works to insert herself into Chase's life. Happy to see Wilson and Bruno back in the mix? Just what kind of tension will this hearing cause for Chase? Any other medical issues coming? Still liking the fatherly/son bonding that will continue to build? Would love your thoughts so please do review before you go and thanks so much!


	3. A Real Reason to Worry

**Title: Fight for the Future  
****Chapter 3 – A Real Reason to Worry**

* * *

"So how was your meeting with Foreman?" Chase inquires sometime later as he sits down at the same table as House for lunch in the cafeteria.

"Scintillating as always," House retorts as he looks down at Chase's measly lunch offerings. "Did you see the special today?"

"Yes, not that hungry. What happened with Foreman?"

"It's a classic Rueben. You love those. You're always hungry for one of those."

"I need to watch my girlish figure," Chase lightly snickers before his expression turns to a small frown. "Okay I'm stressed out thinking about the hearing and I've had a few days indigestion."

"Indigestion? Robert…"

"What happened with Foreman? I did ask first," Chase reminds House as House looks at Chase with pursed lips. "Something about my patient?"

"I've seen this before with this type of situation and I wanted to know if we had a record of a patient doing it before just to sue the hospital for negligence. And before you ask, yes I did find a file just like that and yes it was the same low life lawyer that is going to be making your life a living hell in a few days. Now about that sandwich…"

Chase looks at House in concern as he looks down at his small yogurt and piece of fruit and then rubs his face. A few seconds later he watches House get up from the table and head back into the cafeteria lunch line and can only shake his head; House returning to the table a few minutes later and placing the sandwich in front of him.

"Now you know I don't normally make much fuss at all about the crap they serve here but this is good and you need to eat it."

"You're not?"

"Eat," House urges as Chase picks up the sandwich and takes a bite; House watching with satisfaction when Chase finishes chewing and offers a satisfied expression of his own.

"It's good," Chase admits, nodding when House's lips twist upward into a wide grin. "Say I told you so."

"No. This wasn't about being right…okay so maybe a little," House retorts. "But it's my job to look after you and in that regard I'm always right. Trust me you'll feel better at the end of that."

"So what did Foreman say about the patient's actions?"

"He's assigned them to Norman's team. If anyone can stop a scamming patient under Jones direction it's him and…"

"What? Norman? But that was mi…"

"And it'll save your nerves from dealing with any more of Jones games. He's done this before and he needs to be stopped. You don't need this stress and Norman can shut it down before it starts," House tells Chase firmly. "Trust me in this."

"I do trust you," Chase answers softly as he looks down and gently sighs before he looks back up. "Okay."

"Good boy," House grins in reply. "But chew slowly."

That comment earns Chase tossing a small chip in House's direction; House laughing as he plucks the chip from his jacket and eats it. The two of them continue to enjoy their lunch hour until it was time to remove their trays and get back to their respective duties; House returning to his discussion with Foreman and Chase happily giving up the other patient for a chance at a new medical mystery. He downplays his panic attack to Park as they work on a new case, but knows that while he can merely brush off his co-workers concern, there was no way he could escape House's watchful eye. Part of him didn't want to as he was now so comfortable with the older man's fatherly concern that when he didn't get it he felt that something was missing. That's why it pained him now so much inside that he made the decision without even asking House what he thought; hurting House or causing him disappointment was almost unbearable.

Chase finishes up with Park and then heads back toward the staff lounge, wanting to check to see if he had been called to the Peds area to work or if he might actually escape at a descent hour and stop by their favorite butcher shop and pick up something for dinner. But just as he rounds the corner…fate decides to step in.

"Oh bugger…" a soft voice exclaims as Chase quickly steps back, his own lips uttering a small curse as the front of his white coat is gently stained with brown coffee. "I didn't mean…oh I'm so sorry…I'm sorry I didn't see you."

Chase's ears pick up the very familiar accent and his hand reaches out to stop her actions, his lips curling into a small smile. "It's okay."

"I honestly didn't see you," she expertly lies; telling herself that men were so easy when it came to certain games women liked to play. That's why she always targeted men – they were much easier to emotionally manipulate than other women. Robert Chase was nothing more than a walking target to her; but no matter in her mind, each kill was satisfying. Especially when there was a big payout coming with it.

"You can pay for the dry-cleaning," Chase replies as he tries to brush off the rest of the dark liquid that was now starting to settle in with a very visible stain. "Did you burn yourself?"

"No but I must go."

"So soon?" Chase asks as he tries to prolong the conversation.

She looks up at him with a somewhat dead expression, her brain forcing her to offer a genuine smile but at the same time smiling with glee that he was falling into her trap as expected.

"Yes. But you never know in the future," she smiles before she quickly turns and darts around the corner; Chase's head poking around the cement wall as he tries to see where the mysterious but intriguing stranger had gotten to. Much to his dismay she was gone; at least out of his view as she had ducked into a nearby empty room to wait for him to resume his normal course of action – only a little more distracted. Her ploy of course works, as it's been tested many times before.

Chase, with his mind now distracted as wanted, heads back to the staff lounge, casually punching in the code without as much care as he would if his mind was focused and unaware of the set of eyes watching him with determination. Two days before she had gotten the first two numbers but now…today…her unsuspecting prey offered the last two almost willingly.

_All too easy Marcy, _she praises herself as she writes down the full number and then waits until Chase is inside before she leaves the room and casually heads toward the main floor; one more piece in the Robert Chase puzzle put into place. But just before she exits the building, she spies House leaving an office marked 'Director' and once again narrows her gaze. _So he's the big boss? Or just meeting with the big boss? One of the big bosses? _

Marcy heads toward a merchandize display, pretending to be interested in something that was for sale; the booth owner starting to tell her about the item in her grasp. Of course she wasn't interested in the object at all, but was using the decoy to study her primary opponent – Robert Chase's main confidant.

"Tell Chase he has nothing to worry about," Foreman states, Marcy looking at the smartly dressed black man that follows behind House. "He has the full weight of the hospital behind him."

"I'll tell him. He's earned his week at his place in the Hamptons. It will do him well."

"Will do you both well."

"Oh you'll miss me," House retorts as Foreman shakes his head.

"No…I will not," Foreman states firmly as House takes his leave, slowly walking toward the elevator as Marcy watches Foreman reenter his office and House disappear from view.

_The Hamptons…what is that? _She wonders as she writes down a few more notes and then pulls away from the kiosk – her mind focused on her deadly mission rather than appeasing the owner who was hoping for a sale. _Hmm sounds like a friend…close friend? How close? This old guy could be a problem…tomorrow I'll find out where Robert lives and then…._

XXXXXXXX

House enters their apartment a few hours later, it already being evening time and his mind anxious to get home to see why Chase had left so early without telling anyone he was going. But as soon as he enters he's hit with a very tempting aroma and his lips can't help but smile.

"Something smells very tempting," House calls out as he heads toward the kitchen. With all the stress of the last few days, his mind plays tricks on him so that when he rounds the corner he sees Chase sprawled on the floor motionless. Fortunately movement snaps him back to reality as Chase stands up from cleaning something up off the floor; greeting House with a boyish grin. "What has my boy gotten himself into?"

"Surprise," Chase states weakly as House nears the island with a plate full of edible goodies. "You can pick at your leisure."

"You left early."

"I left on time," Chase corrects him in haste. "I wasn't needed in Peds and so…"

"Thought you were done with that overtime stress?"

"Maybe until the hearing is over. Halston heard from Jones again," Chase admits heavily as his frame sags against the counter; House looking on in concern. "Another petty threat."

"He's full of piss and wind! Has he tried to contact you?"

"No, not yet," Chase admits in truth. "Is that odd?"

"A little. Last time he tried to intimidate the other character witnesses or at least get others to do it for him."

"Really," Chase states slowly as House's head cocks to the right in wonder; Chase looking up with a soft frown.

"What happened?" House presses.

"Someone ran into me and accidentally spilt coffee on me. A girl but it was nothing. A few seconds and that was it."

"What did she say?"

"Oh bugger," Chase retorts as House's lips twist upward. "No I will not repeat that for you," Chase tells House as his expression droops. "But it was nothing. Trust me if he had come at me with some of the things he told Halston, I'd have told you and you'd have put him under by now."

"I still might. Okay enough talk about that bottom feeder, what did you make me?"

"Well…" Chase's voice trails off as he and House start to slowly consume the plate of goodies, talking about the cured meats and specialty cheeses and what was really cooking in the oven. Finally the main dish is to be served and they settle around the dinner table, talking about their day and the upcoming holiday; House careful to avoid talking about Jones while they were eating so as to avoid giving Chase any needless indigestion.

After supper is over, House shoos Chase into the living room to watch something mindless on TV while he cleans up, joining him about a twenty minutes later so they could make fun of whatever lame reality show was on TV. But not ten minutes later Chase's chest starts to tighten and his eyes water as his heart starts to race.

"Robert?"

"Just…maybe some indigestion…" he wheezes as House springs into action.

"That's not indigestion," House states as he helps Chase get into a more comfortable position and then hurries to get an Aspirin, something he could take sparingly but if indeed the situation was looking like an ensuing heart attack.

"I'm…okay," Chase insists as House's hand rests protectively on his back, trying to calm his heaving frame. As much as House wants to call Halston and tell him Chase has declined to testify, he knows Jones would get wind and start to harass Chase and that could make things even worse. But watching his beloved boy suffer like this was almost unbearable.

"Okay…I just…I'm okay now…" Chase tries to assure House as the tightness starts to ease and his lungs return to normal breathing. "I'm okay."

House doesn't leave Chase's side, but continues his fatherly vigil, stroking his back and making sure that any slight aberration in breathing was attended to; his mind racing as to what could happen in the middle of the night if Chase was to have a major panic attack that really strained his heart. _I can't lose my boy…not to this damn bastard!_

"Okay I'll put on something funny but you need to just sit here and relax for another half hour at least."

Chase had finally learned not to argue when House was in full on father-mode; his heart and mind actually taking comfort in the fact he wasn't facing this small medical crisis alone. House had seen Chase face other pressures before but it's not until Chase's current confession does it all make sense. "I didn't want to let you down but I feel I have," Chase finally admits, making House stop his physical attention and look at Chase in surprise.

House can only sigh heavily at hearing Chase's rather tormented confession as he wraps his arm around Chase's slim shoulders and they both lean back in the couch, Chase trying to get his breathing to fall into a slow, but steady rhythmic pattern. "I don't expect what you can't give," House reminds Chase as Chase's eyes slightly close, hoping to ease some of the throbbing in his head that resulted from the pounding in his heart. "Soon you won't hear his voice at all."

"Sor…mmmm," Chase is about to apologize when House playfully and briefly clamps his hand over his mouth to stop his needless apology.

"Don't say sorry for something that isn't your fault. We'll get through this, go to the beach for a week and come back and everything will be as it should."

"Still want Bruno to put the hurt on Jones," Chase lightly quips as his head lolls to the right and rests on House's supportive shoulder.

"Me too," House agrees as he tells Chase to just close his eyes and rest a bit. House reaches for the remote, turning down the volume as he starts to absently flip through the channels. He feels Chase's weight transfer a bit further onto his side but doesn't move, wanting Chase to get as much rest as possible; his mind already fearing a restless night ahead for both of them. He couldn't fault Chase for internalizing so much as he knows that Chase had wanted some genuine fatherly attention all his life and now that he had it, was so worried that something he'd do would push House away and he'd be all alone once again. _Kids are silly, _House's mind slightly muses. But it was a justified fear to Chase, so that's why he didn't mock the younger man for his feelings or make him feel stupid for having them in the first place. Instead he'd just take it day by day, steadily working to ensure that Chase felt a very integral part of their new family. _Wouldn't be a family without my boy!_

About half hour later, House gently nudges his sleepy boy; Chase's lips offering a soft groan as he turns and curls the other direction, his body in no mood to get out of the comfortable couch. House doesn't care where Chase sleeps just as long as his rest is solid, so with that thought in mind, he carefully removes himself from the couch, gets a blanket and drapes it across his body and then slowly backs away, turning off the light and bathing Chase in comforting darkness.

He turns off the TV and heads for his own bedroom, hoping that the somewhat comfortable couch would serve as Chase's sleeping receptacle for the entire night; hoping that he'd wake with less anxiety. But as the days pass by and the hearing looms closer, he fears Chase's sleep will be more restless and his days more disturbed. He'd be right.

About an hour later, Chase's lips cry out as he sees himself on the witness stand, giving his rather benign testimony when his father appears and starts to question his integrity as a son, accusing him of not being loyal in his time of need and then charging him with his death.

"Robert?" House stammers as he flips on the hallway light, illuminating the area behind him but not giving Chase anything more to stress about.

Chase's slightly sweat soaked frame bolts upright on the couch, his face damp and flushed and his chest heaving. "I…saw…my…death…" his lips babble between ragged gasps as House hurries for a small glass of cold water and a damp cloth.

"One sip at a time," House instructs as Chase clutches the glass of cold water in his palms, the exterior temperature instantly giving some relief to his enflamed limbs. House uses the cool cloth to add some extra relief to the back of Chase's neck; Chase's watery eyes briefly closing once more. "A few more days…and this will all be over."

"I might not make it."

"Mmm then I'll be having duckling for dinner very soon," House lightly retorts as Chase's head gently shakes. "Want to borrow Debbie for a few hours?"

"I'm not that desperate."

"Yet," House tries to continue to lighten the mood. But when Chase's brow crunches as his breath sharply intakes, House's panic rises. "You should take tomorrow off."

"And let Jones win?"

"Screw Jones!" House growls as Chase takes another sip of cold water; feeling the cool liquid slide down this super-heated insides on a relief mission. "The team will manage without you."

"Just don't bring…out the yellow restraints," Chase smirks as he takes another sip.

"Oh damn," House's lips reply in a lower tone as Chase's frame finally un-tenses and starts to breathe normally. "Friday night after the hearing, we'll go out for a big celebratory dinner. And we'll invite Uncle Wilson and Cousin Bruno…one big happy family."

"I'd like that."

"Think on good things and let's beat this bastard at his own game."

"Okay," Chase nods as he takes his last sip and then tries to stretch back out on the couch.

"Your bed is softer."

"This one's warmer," Chase replies as he claws for the blanket; looking up at House with an expression that silently begs for some help. Unable to refuse the look, House merely sighs, slowly gets up and then covers Chase once more with the blanket; Chase shifting back onto his side as he tries to get comfortable.

"Goodnight my boy," House whispers as he turns off the hall light and heads for his bedroom.

"Goodnight dad," Chase replies softly; House's ears picking up the soft expression, his lips automatically twisting upward with delight.

XXXXXXXX

"Whoa!" Wilson exclaims as something flies by his head early the next morning. He watches the half eaten muffin slam into the wall and then splat on the floor, breaking into a lot of crumbly pieces. "That nearly hit me."

"You have slow reflexes."

"I do not," Wilson deadpans as he hurries after House, one of the cleaning staff watching the irate doctor take his leave and just shaking his head as he heads over to clean up the edible remains. "Did you lose a patient?"

"Hardly. I wouldn't waste a muffin over that."

"What then?"

"This," House growls as he shoves a piece of paper into Wilson's open palm. "It was waiting in Robert's staff mail box this morning."

"You opened his mail?" Wilson asks in shock. "Wait…why am I even surprised."

"Yes why are you? I always have," House confesses, earning an eye roll from Wilson before Wilson reads the note.

_'Dr. Chase, I look forward to hearing you try to defend your friend. I hope you're prepared to be ripped to shreds for your false testimony. Liars won't be tolerated. You will fail!'_

Wilson looks down at the hand scribbled note and then up at House's scowling face. "It might not say his name, but we all know this is Jones tactic. It's just crap you know that and so does Chase."

"Robert has been having these panic attacks…and now this?" House snatches the note from Wilson's grasp and shoves it into his pocket. "He doesn't need to see this," he sighs as his rage finally subsides and he looks at Wilson with a small frown. "I told him afterward that we'd all go out for dinner…just to take his mind off the hell he'll have just endured."

"Think he'll be up for it? Will you?" Wilson asks in concern. "No one would fault you two after that for wanting a quiet night in."

"His face lit up when I mentioned it. He needs something good to look forward to," House explains as his pager goes off. "You make the reservation."

"Me?" Wilson retorts as he watches House turn and leave. "Why me?"

"Give you something to do!" House calls out before he disappears into the elevator, Wilson shaking his head and offering a smirk to his best friend before he turns and heads for the Oncology department.

"Man you seem distracted today," Bruno mentions as he watches Chase walking briskly on the treadmill in the physio room that same morning. "You worried about Friday?"

"Why Friday? Does he purposely want us to start the weekend off on a sour note?"

"Is that rhetorical?" Bruno shoots back as Chase looks at him and nods in resignation. "Hey hold on a sec…"

"No…I'm okay…" Chase pants as he starts to pick up the pace. But having the override switch at his command, Bruno pushes a button and the conveyors slow back down. "Party…pooper," Chase gently teases through labored breaths.

"You gotta be careful. You want to enjoy your holiday right?"

"I can't…wait…" Chase lightly wheezes, trying to smile at the same time but his expression offering that of a grimace. "And you're going to come for the following Friday right? Stay for the weekend?"

"Oh yeah man I can't wait!" Bruno exclaims as he forces Chase to slow to a moderate walk as he starts his cool down.

"How is your mom?"

"She's good. Dad's hearing is in a few weeks. I hope they keep his ass in jail but there's a chance he could get out on bail or whatever."

"With…what money?"

"Right?" Bruno retorts as he shakes his head and hands Chase his water bottle. "He has no money for his family but when it comes time to get his ass out of trouble – it somehow shows up. Yeah we know he has a friend who helps him but it's still lame," Bruno sighs as Chase's breathing starts to shallow.

Chase takes a few more sips of water as his steps start to really slow, his heart rate elevated but not to the point of critical; his brain knowing his body needed to expel the inner tension that had been mounting over the past few weeks, especially since he agreed to the hearing.

"Alright…slow walk and then you're good."

"Needed this today," Chase admits as he looks over at the coffee cup on the table, his mind flashing back to the incident yesterday with the stranger with the Australian accent.

"Uh no…coffee after this might not be a good idea."

"No…ah…ha…" Chase chuckles as the treadmill finally stops and he wipes his face with a towel and looks at Bruno with a small smile.

"What happened?"

"Nothing. It was just…a girl ran into me yesterday, spilt coffee on my shirt but…I guess it was just her accent that…and she looked…"

"Was she hot?" Bruno asks with a grin.

"Yes but…"

"But what?"

"She looked familiar," Chase stammers; Marcy's clever disguise already starting to work. "It was the accent," he concludes with a laugh as he gets off the treadmill and heads for a nearby bench. "But then she rushed away so fast I never even got her name."

"Well if she was visiting someone maybe you'll see her again," Bruno suggests, not knowing the truth of his words.

"Maybe," Chase shrugs as he takes another swig of the cool water, his body feeling tired but also relieved and less jittery than he did earlier. "This is what I needed," Chase slaps Bruno on the back as he smiles. "I gotta run. I'll shower in the staff lounge and see you later."

"Hold on a sec, I gotta drop this chart off. I'll walk up to 3 with you."

The two of them leave the physio room, not knowing they were being watched from a discreet distance.

_So the big guy's his friend…but he's not as close as the old doctor…good to know…still…this guy could be trouble unless…hmm unless I can find something on him to get him out of the picture…yes…I can definitely do that! Everyone has a weakness that can be exploited and I'm the master at finding out weaknesses and using them._

Marcy makes a note of a few of Bruno's habits and then slips into the opposite stairwell to follow their movements, coming up to the third floor landing and exiting at the other end of the busy hallway. She decides to linger a bit longer, wanting to see if she could learn anything more valuable about her current opponent. She wouldn't be disappointed.

Chase and Bruno continue their friendly talk as they near the center of the hallway; Chase being distracted and bumping into a small girl looking up in wonder.

"Oh sorry sweetie I didn't see you," Chase kneels down to be eye level with the smiling face looking at him with an adoring smile. "Did I hurt you?"

"No. Are you a doctor?" She asks point at Chase's white lab coat atop his casual workout attire.

"I am. My name is Robert. What's yours?"

"Sarah. Want a cookie?" She holds up the edible offering. Chase looks up at the mother, who is distracted with keeping an eye on her child and talking to her doctor.

"What kind is it?"

"Oatmeal," the mother answers in haste as she looks back at the doctor, trying to pull her daughter away from talking to the strange man. But once the other doctor tells the mother that Dr. Chase was indeed a doctor at the hospital; her demeanour changes and she relaxes a bit more.

"Are you a doctor also?" She's asks Bruno as Chase takes a bite of the cookie.

"Mmm sweet. Is that raisins in there? You know oat..meal…"

"Robert?" Bruno asks as Chase's face instantly crunches and a panicked look starts to invade his expression.

"Bruno…."

"No it's strawberry," the girl answers with a smile, not understanding the seriousness of Chase's current plight. "Oatmeal and strawberry. My mom just hid them though. Do you like them?" She asks innocently.

"I'm…"

"HE'S ALLERGIC!" Bruno shouts as the other doctor drops to his knees as Chase starts to convulse on the floor. "Quick! He's not breathing!"

"Oh god he's going into anaphylactic shock!" The other doctor shouts as he calls for an epi-pen for some immediate relief.

However, not everyone was concerned about Chase's horrible predicament; in fact for one it was the opposite – fascination and enjoyment of suffering. _So…he's that allergic to strawberries? One bite…hmm death from a natural allergic reaction! Damn I couldn't have planned this better myself! _Marcy's mind states with glee. _Now I have to stage an intervention and get myself inserted into Robert Chase's life so I can destroy it and get that money!_

Meanwhile…

"He's not responding! CHASE!"

* * *

**A/N:** Uh ohh….So first off lots of concerned fatherly House and I'm hoping you are all still liking seeing House a bit more concerned and protective and of course watching out for his darling boy. And had to get some classic House/Wilson in there and a bit more about Bruno's dad – just to keep the storylines going from the last 2 stories and hope you are all liking that. But yes Marcy is evil for sure and out only to hurt but she's gotten some major info in this. Course Chase won't die but when will Marcy run into Chase again and how will she insert herself into his life? And what will House's reaction be? Would love your reviews before you go so please leave your thoughts and thanks so much!


	4. An Evil Plan is Put in Motion

**Title: Fight for the Future  
****Chapter 4 – An Evil Plan is Put in Motion**

* * *

"There…we got him back!"

"Thank God…" Bruno whispers as he watches Chase's eye lids flutter and his lips start taking in air once more. The first epipen's administrator malfunctioned and so it only delivered a few drops of the life-saving medicine, nowhere near enough to stop the deadly reaction racing through his system and start to shut it down.

Marcy's outward facial expression tries to convey a look of pure horror and desperation as she stands watching with a few horrified onlookers. But inside, her mind is racing as she takes in every single, delightfully tormented second.

"Robert!" Bruno states loudly as he continues to kneel at Chase's side in panicked concern.

_The big fellow is very worried and that means more than a mere work acquaintance, _Marcy's mind continues to ponder as a few nurses rush toward them with a stretcher and oxygen setup. But it's not until House rushes toward them that her mind has more information to process.

"Robert!" House calls out, his voice echoing the same, lone word that Bruno offered not moments earlier.

But unlike Bruno who only offered her a few more snippets of brotherly concern, it was a whole other story when the older doctor arrives.

"My boy!"

_What the hell? Robert isn't his son! I confirmed that Robert Chase is the biological son of Doctor Rowan Chase! Maybe he just uses that term for his subordinates that…what the hell is going on…_her mind muses in confusion as she fixes her eyes on House and pays rapt attention.

"What happened?" House looks at Bruno as he slowly stands up, the medics lifting Chase's gently writhing frame onto the stretcher, House's hand resting on Chase's limp forearm as the oxygen mask is affixed over his mouth and nose to help him breathe; his lungs slowly reopening after their fast constriction. "Robert."

Chase's watery eyes look up and blink as his brow gently furrows.

"What happened?" House asks again as the woman who had made the cookies steps forward. "M-my daughter offered him one of our cookies. I was distracted with my son's diagnosis and…I'm very sorry. I didn't realize he was that allergic."

"It nearly killed him!" House snaps as he turns to follow the stretcher, the mother and her sobbing child looking on with defeated expressions. "Damn cookies!" House mutters as Bruno offers a soft apology to the family and hurries after them.

"Chase had mentioned that he was allergic to strawberries but I didn't know it was that bad. Sorry Dr. House, he did ask the little girl…but after he had taken a bite he knew. Guess we were all distracted."

"By what?" House asks sharply as he watches Chase being transferred to a recovery bed, a hydration IV being hooked up. But before Bruno can answer, a familiar face appears – offering them a shake of his head and a brief mutter under his breath.

"Trouble just seems to follow you two," Dr. Chan states as House just nods and Bruno looks from one doctor to the other. "What happened this time?"

"Allergy to strawberries. Nearly killed him."

"Dr. Walker got an epipen and administered it," Bruno interjects in haste. "But…"

"But what?" Dr. Chan prods.

"Chase's was broken and so it didn't take the first time and he…well it looked like he stopped breathing. He's okay now right?" Bruno asks as he looks down at Chase's sleeping expression and then back up at Dr. Chan.

"We'll keep him overnight to make sure his system is free of the allergens and the saline flush should ensure that in twenty-four hours he'll be okay to go h…"

"To the Halston hearing," House interjects with a heavy groan as Dr. Chan looks at him in surprise. "Yes he's the one who agreed to be the character witness."

"Then he'll need all the rest he can get. Especially to see what affect this has on his heart," Dr. Chan states as he looks up at Chase's vitals monitor and then over at House's worried expression. "He'll be okay in the morning. You know this is just a precaution and you'd insist I take it, especially for someone you care so much about."

"Thank you," House replies in an undertone as he watches Dr. Chan take his leave; Bruno lingering with a concerned expression.

"Will he be okay?"

"He just needs rest and fluids. His system is going to be jittery until the potent dosage works itself through and then he'll be depleted of energy and fluids. He'll be okay," House whispers as he turns back and looks down at Chase in concern. "He better be okay. I can't lose him now."

"You won't. I gotta get back to my shift but I'll check in later."

House watches Bruno leave and then turns back down to Chase in haste, his eyes fixing on Chase's slightly shaking hand. But its Chase's garbled words under the oxygen mask that pull House down closer to him. House gently lifts up the mask to hear the words more clearly.

"I didn't…know…" Chase manages with a small gasp as his eyes squeeze shut and his teeth clench tightly. "H-hurts…"

"A damn cookie!" House offers a whispered hiss as Chase's eyes open and then soften; House's heart sinking instantly. "I'm sorry. The drugs need to work through your system," House explains as Chase nods. "I think Dr. Chan is going to have a permanent bed here with your name on it very soon."

"Poor…guy."

"Yeah…but he's the best," House replies softly. "And your pen wasn't working?"

"Br-oken," Chase groans as House's jaw tightens and then relaxes. "Didn't…know."

"I know. Now I want you to just close your eyes and let your system flush itself clean. I'm going to back to the office and run a file to Foreman and then I'll be back here."

"When…can I…go home?"

"You'll stay here overnight just to be sure. I won't take any chances."

"Didn't know…it had…strawberries," Chase confesses weakly.

"This is not your fault. I know you just wanted a bit more of daddy's attention," House playfully teases as Chase's head gently nods in agreement. "Next time just ask and we'll do some better role play," House teases as Chase's face crunches and his own anxiety soars. "Robert?"

"Chest…hurts."

"It will until everything is flushed out. Even a small dosage of the anti-allergens can wreak havoc on your tender little ducky insides," House explains as Chase's face softens. House's hand reaches down and squeezes Chase's just as Chase's lips utter another small gasp.

This time for Chase having House's hand gripping his, comforts his mind in new ways so much so that when House goes to pull away, Chase's grip on his hand tightens, pulling House's gaze back down to his.

"Don't…go…" Chase begs as House's expression softens instantly. It was such a soft and heartfelt plea that he was unable to turn away from it, even if he had wanted to.

"Okay I'll stay until you fall back asleep," House promises as Chase's head gently bobs in agreement. House's fingers tenderly brush away some sweat beads as Chase's eyes squeeze tightly shut once more. "Deep breath," House instructs as Chase's lips produce as few small gasps as the bubble of pain. This time having House's hand to squeeze make the unbearable inside pain almost – bearable and he's able to regain his composure and start to breathe normally once again.

"Have you heard…from Jones?" Chase dares to inquire as House looks down with a heavy frown.

"You need to be resting now."

"Have you?" Chase presses in a whisper.

"No," House easily replies, leaving out the part about him finding the message in Chase's mail box and taking it away before he could see it and stress about it more. "And you need to put that out of your head right now."

"Hearing is…"

"You have one more day to just rest and that's what you'll do. I will tell the team you'll be absent tomorrow and under the present circumstances I think they'll agree with me. Even if the circumstances weren't in your favor I'd still make them agree with me," House states firmly, earning a small eye roll from Chase. "Then after that you'll go to the damn hearing and then we'll have a whole week ahead of us with nothing to do but rest."

"And surf," Chase interjects.

"Only if you rest first," House lightly scolds as Chase's lips purse. But a few seconds later, his heart starts to spasm once more and his lips pull tight.

"AHH!" Chase gasps in pain.

"It could be reacting with the heart medication. Deep breath my boy, you just need to work through it."

Knowing he can't argue, Chase nods; his face grimacing at the same time it flushes with painful waves. But the intensity had started to lessen and that was comforting for both House and Chase. Finally fatigue settles in and Chase's dirty blond lashes fall heavily onto his flushed cheeks, allowing House to quietly take his leave. He tells the nurse stationed just outside that he'd be back but to call him instantly of anything changed at all.

Telling himself that Chase is in good hands, House enters the quiet hallway, heading for the elevators at a determined pace. He'd stop by his office and give his team an update, then Foreman and then Wilson; Bruno of course already in the know. However, as soon as House was out of view, Marcy's mind urges her to make her move. She waits until the nurse's back is turned and then quietly slips into the curtains.

She studies Robert Chase as he lies motionless on the hospital bed before him; her prey…her sleeping victim only a few feet from her grasp. It would be so easy to take a small syringe full of strawberry juice, inject it and let him die from a massive natural reaction to something he just ingested. But that time wasn't yet. She had to find a way to get into his life….gain his trust and get herself onto his will – and _then_ she'd kill him.

Chase starts to stir and for a few seconds she remains in place – watching. Chase's brain makes out the presence of someone in the room but at first he tells himself that it's House and to get back to resting. But as soon as he notices the movement of blond hair moving to one side, his brain races for his eyes to focus. And they finally do.

"H-hello…hello," Chase stammers before clearing his throat and looking at the pretty face that had bumped into him a day earlier. "What's going on?" He asks in haste as his monitors start to get agitated.

"Oh I uh…I am waiting for a friend and saw them bring you in here and I uh…well I wanted to say sorry again…for the other day," Marcy stammers with a nervous smile, her brain applauding her brilliant acting skills. "You know…the coffee. But maybe…I should go."

"No! Wait…" Chase huffs. "I'm okay…I don't mind…talking a bit. Who are you? What's your name?"

"Marcy," she offers her fake name. "Are you okay? What happened?" She feigns ignorance.

"Made…a mistake," Chase frowns as he watches her remain in place near the entrance to the room. "What's wrong with your friend?"

"Cancer," Marcy offers flippantly, not realizing that a connection would be made with a certain oncology professional.

"Do you live…around here? Or…I'm sorry, I'm not meaning to pry."

"I came to America, a few years ago," she offers another smooth lie. "Your accent sounds like you also just got off the boat," she gently teases as Chase's face warms. "What's your name? You seem…so familiar."

"Yeah…familiar," Chase agrees as he recalls what he told Bruno the other day. "Must be…the accent. I'm Robert. Robert Chase…I am…well not at the moment but I am a doctor here."

"Did you take your own bad prescription? Ah bad joke," she smiles as his head nods in agreement. But at that moment Chase's body decides it needs to have another medical surge and Marcy wonders if her presence has caused him undo tension. "Are you okay?" She asks in feigned concern.

"Just a small…" he gasps as brain seeks out House's hand for some support. But upon finding nothing he slumps back down, his chest lightly thumping and his brain ordering him to work through it with the least amount of embarrassment as possible. "Sorry…it's…it's good now."

"Do you need me to call a doctor or something?"

"No…he'll be back…shortly," Chase answers in truth as he tries to get his breathing under control. "Where are you from?"

"Melbourne but that was…what?"

"Melbourne? No, it's just that…I'm from there," Chase explains.

"Maybe we're long lost relatives," she easily interjects and then lightly laughs. "Well I should get going. I think you need to rest."

"If I don't I'll get a scolding," Chase's face gently creases into a smile.

"Is your family coming to visit you?" She asks somewhat innocently, knowing full well the familial status of Robert Chase. But when she sees his jaw harden she knows she's struck a nerve and inwardly smiles. Most normal people wouldn't delight in the suffering of others…she was far from normal. So instead of dropping it – she continues. "Maybe I could wait until they get here? In case you need something. Think your mum will be coming?"

"No she uh…no," Chase stammers as his jaw hardens once more. He looks at Marcy and frowns but knows he can't get after her, how on earth would she ever know the current status of his family; his birth parents both dead. "No they won't. I'll be okay."

"Do you need anything before you go?"

"How um…how long will you be around here for? Just…in case you know I happen to run into you again?" Chase wonders, Marcy inwardly delighted beyond words. "Unless of course…you're rushing home to husband…four kids…"

"Four?" Marcy retorts as her brain urges her to leave so she could escape before the older doctor got back. "No, it's just me. But um…I think I might like that. I'll drop by in the morning, maybe bring you a coffee."

"Decaf," Chase instructs as he watches her turn to leave. "Marcy…"

"Yeah?"

"You do seem…familiar," Chase replies, not realizing he was already getting duped into looking at a face that could be related.

Marcy offers him one last smile before she ducks back out, the nurse seeing only her back as she heads down two rooms and disappears into another curtained room and out of view. Chase's mind races back in time, going back as far as high school to see if perhaps he had known the familiar blond from there. _Her voice…some mannerisms…they…they seem…I should know them…especially how she twirls her hair on her left index finger that…_but his brain stops…he knows the mannerism…he's seen it before – his mother. It was something she used to like to do and it was his subconscious that instantly recognized the action from when he was a small boy and held onto that.

_But she couldn't have known my mother…must be a coincidence. _This time he can blame House for that because House was always fond of telling the team there were no coincidences, things happened for a reason and usually as a direct result of specific actions. What Chase didn't know, is House was right. Marcy's actions were a direct result of her finding a long lost friend of Chase's mother and prying as much information from the older woman as she could, telling her she'd pass along a message to Chase – something of course she had no intention of doing. But her rouse was working and now Chase was left to wonder where he knew Marcy from and when he could see her again.

House finally heads back to Chase's quiet room about half hour later, having been longer than wanted but at least able to blame Foreman for the fact that Chase was being neglected; Foreman reminding House that Chase was under the best of care at House's own direction. That argument met a stalemate.

"How is he?" House asks the nurse in a quiet tone.

"Much better, only two mild attacks since you left but he's okay now."

"Any visitors?" House inquires as he turns to leave.

"I saw a young blond woman exiting but I think she might have been looking for another room. She went down the hall and went into room 5C," the nurse relates as House pulls away and heads for the room he _thinks _Marcy went into. But as soon as he pokes his head into the room as directed, his eyes slightly narrow in wonder. The room is empty. He turns back to scold the nurse but decides against it. It wasn't her fault she wasn't as observant as he _would _want her to be; it was his job to look after his helpless duckling and he had to settle for second best when he wasn't there.

He gently pulls back Chase's curtain, smiling at seeing his precious boy asleep and unharmed. He looks up at the monitors and studies them; his eyes most interested in the heart machine. Thankfully the readings are normal so whoever it was that popped into his room was just a blip and didn't cause him further distress. He'd ask Chase for all the details when he'd awaken; for now it was time to just get some work done and let his boy sleep. House eases himself down into a nearby chair, gently pulls the rollaway table toward him and opens a file.

XXXXXXXX

The night for Chase is somewhat tormented but mostly from nightmares about him getting on the stand at the hearing and then having a massive heart attack while House watches and says 'I told you so' before he takes his last breath.

"You're going to kick his ass," House whispers as he helps Chase through another panicked nightmare. Chase's watery eyes lift up to the monitors to study the effects his own negative thoughts were having on his system. "You just need to relax," House instructs as he tries to get Chase to lie back down. "The allergens have worked through your system and now you just need to rest," House tells him as he helps Chase roll onto his side, looking away from the monitors.

"I saw her again," Chase whispers as House tenderly strokes his back, hoping to calm him down a bit.

"Who?"

"That blond girl I told you about. The one from Australia."

"Where did you see her?" House asks quietly as Chase's trembling from his nightmare starts to subside.

"She was here, in this room. Just after you left. She was looking for a friend. She…"

"She what?" House gently presses.

"She seemed familiar. I think…maybe I went to school with her."

"Out of the blue you think that?" House asks firmly; his mind always suspicious and of course over protective when it came to those he cared about, especially Chase. "Why?"

"Just…she just did. She's from Melbourne and…"

"What's her name?"

"Marcy," Chase replies in truth; or at least the truth he was told by a charlatan. "Never got a last name but then…I didn't ask."

"Why's she here?"

"Visiting a friend who has cancer."

"How long did you two talk?" House retorts as Chase's face softens.

"And before you ask no, I did not ask for her friend's name."

"Did she ask why you're in here?"

"I said I made a mistake. What?"

"Nothing."

"I know that look," Chase tells House directly.

"Don't you find her timing suspect?"

"You think she's been sent in here by Jones?" Chase inquires. What Marcy didn't realize, is Carlton Jones might be a pain in the ass to everyone else but his pesky presence has now forced everyone to be on extra alert – especially House and that would make him even more protective over Chase. That she wouldn't like and hadn't planned on.

"I don't know but don't take anything she offers or agree to meet in any dark alleys."

"Gotta love a dark alley," Chase retorts as House's fingers give his soft ear lobe a small pinch forcing the younger man to offer a small chuckle.

"Okay rest now," House tenderly instructs as he pulls the warm blankets over Chase's shoulders.

"What about you?"

"I'll sleep also. But you need it more than me so close your eyes and sleep. That's an order," House retorts with a tender smile. But Chase's brain doesn't need too much coaxing as it lulls him back into the darkness, his eyes closing until morning. House on the other hand starts to ponder Chase's second chance run in with the blond Australian. Was it just chance? Or was it actually planned? Was she a clever ploy from Carlton Jones or perhaps she just has a small crush on the attractive doctor.

_Well he is damn pretty, _House's lips twist into a small smirk as he glances over at Chase's sleeping face, a comforting smile settling across his. He recalls the speed dating fiasco and knows that Chase has no trouble attracting attention from the opposite sex and if times were different that's what he'd chalk it up to. But the fact that it was timed perfectly with the hearing was worrisome. Of course House couldn't have known that it was something Marcy hadn't planned and would also be worrisome – to her.

He hears Chase muttering something in his sleep and frowns; the hearing would put a real strain on his healing heart but it couldn't be avoided. He knows Chase will go through with the hearing but as soon as it was over, the very second he'd step down from that hearing stand, he'd be whisked out of that room to de-stress a bit before they'd go out for dinner and he'd help his boy forget the whole nightmare.

But for now…he'd sleep by his side, ready to help just in case and keep his radar sharp for any more run ins from Jones lackey's.

XXXXXXXX

The next morning House awakens with a small gasp as someone gives his shoulder a small squeeze. He looks up to see Dr. Chan looking down with a nod, his head gesturing for him to come and talk outside the curtain. House looks at Chase to see him still asleep and carefully removes himself and heads outside the curtain.

"Better not be bad news," House lightly warns as Dr. Chan's lips slightly smirk. "What? Isn't that how you greet all your patients?"

"Word for word. But no bad news. Blood test results and his system is free of any allergens. He can go home when he's up and dressed. You know I'm going to recommend he rest all day. With the hearing tomorrow and knowing what a monster Jones is, he'll need all the rest he can get."

"Thanks," House replies as Dr. Chan hands him Chase's file. But just before he heads into the curtain he notices a young, pretty blond at the end of the hallway slowly walking toward them. He quickly tucks himself behind a large supply stand and waits; watching her approach with two coffee's in his grasp, his eyes narrowing as she gets near. _My duckling will not drink that coffee! _His mind vows as he studies her face. Her coloring was similar to Chase's but then so were a lot; he wasn't about to be lulled as Chase obviously was.

Marcy pokes her head into Chase's room to see him asleep; a somewhat sinister smile crossing her face, one House is unable to see from his vantage point. She slips inside just as Chase starts to stir. Marcy places the two hot cups of coffee down on the table just as he looks up and starts to stretch.

"Morning," she greets as House leaves his listening point and carefully edges closer, one part of his brain trying to tell him that he shouldn't eavesdrop as it was rude and the other part laughing at it was something he did without caring about who he was eavesdropping on. Only this time he did care about the person; it was Chase and he wasn't about to leave him in the clutches of just anyone.

"Morning," Chase greets as he tries to straighten up. "You're here early."

"I have to get going early, work and all but I brought coffee as promised. Decaf right?"

"Doctor's orders," Chase replies with a smile.

_Ask about work, _House's mind urges behind the curtained wall.

"Do you like your doctor? Are you…friends?"

"He keeps me on the straight and narrow. So what do you do for work? It's only fair since you know what I do."

"Sales. Boring job but it pays the bills," Marcy shrugs. "So when were you back in Melbourne last?" Marcy inquires, already knowing full well why Chase was there.

House hears the question and feels his own jaw tighten as he knows the last time his boy was in Melbourne was to pay respects for a man that wasn't even worth the dirt he was buried under.

"Family stuff a few months back," Chase answers with a small frown; the sadness in his tone not lost on House's unseen figure a few feet away. "Nothing really special."

Marcy looks at Chase with a racing mind. _Nothing special? His father died…I heard there was some tension in the family but that newspaper article said that Rowan Chase was a great family man. _Of course she had read the same obituary and write-up that had incensed Chase when he was there, so much so that he wanted to call the newspaper and tell them just what a monster his father really was. But it wasn't worth his time to further the emotional pain so he dropped it; Marcy of course not knowing the real story behind the façade Chase put on about his birth family life. _But they were close right? Rowan left him all his millions right? Robert was his only child…he would have made sure he was well taken care of...right? RIGHT?_

"Oh that's too bad. There are some very special places there."

"When were you back last?"

"About six months ago. I try to get back as often as I can. Was at Skydive a few months back," she relates the name of a top beach in Melbourne; thanks mostly to a Google search.

"Really? They have great surfing there," Chase states with enthusiasm; his eager smile and wanting to please the pretty blond playing into her trap as she was making him offer more personal details about himself as she held back the truth about her.

"You like to surf? You seem like a surfer," she tosses out some blind praise; House rolling his eyes on the other side of the curtain.

"Love to surf. Do you?"

"Probably not as good as you," Marcy puts it back on Chase. But she hears some talking on the opposite side of the curtain from where House was and tells herself she needs to leave before the older doctor returned. "You know I hate to just run but um…"

"So soon?"

"Yeah I want to check on my friend before I check into work but it was nice to see you again. Maybe next time will be when you're on your feet."

"I'd like that. Are you sure…where did you go to high school?"

"Oh I didn't go to school in Melbourne. My mother she um…well I never knew my birth mother…I was given up for adoption as a baby. I was told I she couldn't keep me and…oh damn that's depressing," Marcy tosses out a fake laugh as she continues to slowly give Chase a few more devious lies.

"What was her name?"

"It was um…it was Mary," Marcy answers with a smile as Chase's eyes slightly widen. "My adoptive mother wanted to combine her name which was Darcy and my birth mother – sort of as a tribute to her. It might sound cheesy but that's all I have to remember her by. That and a few letters."

"What happened to her?"

"She died…many years ago. I was…well not in Melbourne when she passed and I regret not trying to find her sooner. But I guess I shouldn't bore you with all these pathetic details," Marcy sighs as Chase's brow lightly furrows.

"I don't mind in fact…maybe we can go for a real coffee? You know after work one day?"

"Tonight? You know…after you're better?"

"I don't think I'll be able."

"Next week?"

"I'm away next week but…do you have a number? I'll call you when I'm back?"

"I…oh I shouldn't but um….but yeah I'd like that," Marcy replies as she scribbles her number down on a piece of paper and hands it to Chase; House wanting to wait to see where she really goes. "Okay well I hope you get better fast and we'll talk…later."

"Okay," Chase states as he watches her leave; the coffee left for him just a few feet away.

House watches Marcy exit the curtained room and then heads back toward the exit doors; his footsteps trying to follow her at a quiet and discreet but determined pace. He had overheard her say she wanted to check on a friend before leaving but instead of watching her pivot to the right and head for the visitor's elevators and go up; she pushes her way through ER back exit doors and disappears outside. _Check on her friend my ass! _House's mind inwardly groans as he waits a few moments before he pushes the door open and pops his head outside just in time to see her hail a cab and then disappear from his view for good.

He hurries back to Chase, entering the curtained room just as Chase reaches for the coffee cup. "Ah!" House scolds as he pulls the cup out of Chase's grasp.

"I wasn't going to drink it," Chase states in haste as House starts to study the cup.

"Maybe I can dust this for prints."

"Has it ever occurred to you that maybe she's just…"

"Lonely? Looking for hot sex? Bored? Jones lackey!"

"Thanks," Chase shakes his head as he watches House carefully pour out the coffee into the nearby sink but preserve the up. "Are you serious? How long are you going to keep that?"

"If we see her after the hearing we'll know she was here for the sex…I mean you," House stammers as Chase's lips purse. But House quickly notices Chase's expression droops and is quick to catch him on it. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing…okay she told me a bit about her…her past and her mother. Her mother's name was um…Mary."

"Same as yours."

"I know," Chase replies as House helps him stand up.

"She's playing you Robert," House lightly scolds as Chase's brow furrows.

"Maybe…maybe not?"

"Okay let's get you home to rest and on the way there you can tell me about your soon to be latest conquest," House directs as he hands Chase a pair of sweat pants to wear home. After Chase was dressed, the two of them heading for House's waiting car, Chase telling him all the things that Marcy had told him and House wondering if it was all true or just another story that Jones paid her to tell him – using his mother's name to try to make him emotional and perhaps lower his guard. But she didn't try to hurt or intimidate him or even find out anything about the hearing so maybe….just maybe she was legit? _Something's up…I don't trust her. _ You don't trust anyone! His brain argues with itself. _I trust Robert. _And Wilson! _Fine…Wilson too! Sometimes…_oye…

They reach home and House instructs Chase to take a warm shower while he makes him some breakfast and then they'd just rest the whole day. Chase tries to tell House that he'd be okay on his own and he could go back to work and torment the rest of their team; House insisting he'd rather spend the rest of the day tormenting his boy. Chase can only shake his head before he disappears into the bathroom to take a warm shower, hoping to erase some of the nervous jitters that talk of Carlton Jones had brought on. House in the meantime was wondering how best to prepare Chase for the following day while at the same time ensuring he has the best care possible.

Not wanting to send Chase to bed with any added nightmares, House's plan for the day is to make Chase a nutritional breakfast, make sure he sleeps, a hearty lunch, go over a bit more about Jones, a modest dinner and then something funny to end the day with and then making sure he goes to sleep with the relaxation CD playing, wanting to fill his head with happy thoughts rather than nightmares images.

And the plan works. By the time Chase is saying goodnight, the anxiety that House had forced him to face up to during the afternoon was all but spent and he didn't make a fuss about using the relaxation CD. Instead he focuses on a week of surfing and seeing Marcy for coffee.

XXXXXXXX

But the next morning Chase awakens early with a tight stomach and racing heart, his mind wondering if he'd even live to make it to the fun dinner that House had promised he'd experience after the strained hearing.

"You will be fine," House tries to assure Chase with a fatherly rest of his hand on his back, Chase lightly hunched over the sink taking a few shallow breaths. "In a few hours this will all be over."

"Tell me again everything will be okay and we'll win this."

"We will win this…and everything will be okay," House tells Chase firmly; his mind however adding a silent plea…_God I hope so._

"Come on…let's go face the lion."

* * *

**A/N:** ah so you know of course I'd never kill our beloved Chase but a bit more angsty tension for him. Marcy of course is starting to make her move. House of course is suspicious but after the hearing will he drop his guard? Or will Marcy have a bigger threat to take care of? She's ruthless so don't expect her to play nice hehe some more father/son moments in there but now the big hearing is up next. How will that go? And will Chase actually get to his celebratory dinner afterward? Please do review before you go and thanks so much!


	5. Can You Handle the Truth?

**Title: Fight for the Future  
****Chapter 5 – Can You Handle the Truth?**

* * *

Chase tries to pay attention to what House is telling him about what more he can expect from going head to head with Carlton Jones but all his mind can focus on is the tormented dream his subconscious offered him the night before – dying on the witness stand.

_'It's just a hearing, he's going to ask you questions. You answer simply and he'll have nothing to counter. No more, no less and you'll get through this.'_

His mind clings to House's words like a dying man clinging to the last working buoy on the planet in the middle of a vast ocean of emotional hell. But as they near the underground parking entrance to PPTH his heart rate starts to noticeably jump.

"Robert?"

Chase hears House calling his name and looks over with a soft tormented expression; instantly making House's heart sink. "No more, no less."

"You don't owe him or Terry Halston more than the truth," House reminds Chase as Chase nods in agreement.

_'The surgery was routine. Halston had consent from the family. The equipment was faulty. Halston is not at fault.'_

But House had also told him to remember that Jones would also be attacking Halston's character and that was the main reason Chase was called to testify.

_'You've worked with him for five years. He's a very competent doctor with a very good surgical history. Thoughtful and works well with patients and staff. That's it. No more, no less. Stick to the script.'_

"Let's go," House's hand rests on Chase's back and gently urges him to walk toward the waiting elevator.

"I want to run away," Chase mentions with a small smirk as the steel box slowly climbs to the main level and then the second.

"I have those feelings every time I…" House pauses as the doors open and they both look at Foreman waiting for them. "See Foreman waiting for me."

"You ready for today?"

"Will be a piece of cake," House answers Foreman who merely shakes his head.

"I think I am," Chase answers slowly before he takes a deep breath and tries again. "I am ready. I know what to say and will stick to the script."

"You briefed him on what to say?" Foreman asks House with a groan as House grins in response. "Here comes another lawsuit," he huffs under his breath as he turns and walks back to his office.

"He has confidence in you."

"House…" Chase lightly snaps as House's lips slightly purse.

"You will be fine. You think I want you up there floundering while I'm stuck in my damn seat just watching? Trust me."

"I do trust you," Chase assures House as he pulls away. "I just don't trust Carlton Jones," Chase tosses over his shoulder as he heads for the staff lounge.

"I don't trust him either."

"Jones?" Wilson inquires somewhat rhetorically as House looks at his best friend and nods before he slowly limps toward his office. "What time is the hearing?"

"Three."

"Why so late? Wasn't it supposed to be earlier?" Wilson asks in surprise.

"One," House answers with a heavy sigh as he tosses something onto his desk and then turns to look at the empty table where his team would be sitting in about half hour.

"Why is he in so early?"

"Better to pace here where I can see him than at home where I can't. In the past few days have you noticed a young blond woman?"

"Doing what?" Wilson retorts in sarcasm. "I've seen lots. What am I looking for?"

"Attractive. About five foot seven(ish), great body, blond hair, aussie accent."

"No but maybe I should be. Why? You asked her out and now she's avoiding you? Maybe take the hint," Wilson snickers. But when House's expression remains locked in a serious stance, Wilson's happy smile instantly fades. "Okay I'll play along. No I haven't seen her, why?"

"Not anywhere on your ward? Visiting a friend? Relative? Lonely men?"

"What's going on?"

"Does the name Marcy ring any bells?"

"No," Wilson insists. "Who is she? House, what is goin gon?"

"I think trouble and I think she's in cahoots with Carlton Jones."

"What?"

"She suddenly befriends Robert. He told me about her that she just popped up out of nowhere and entered his life."

"How?"

"First she conveniently spilt coffee on him and then when he was laid up the other day brings him coffee to apologize."

"And that's bad?"

"What if it was poisoned?" House lightly growls as Wilson rolls his eyes.

"Maybe she thought he was cute and wanted a way to meet him."

"She could have asked his name!"

"When's the last time you asked a girl out?"

"It's suspect."

"That's because you suspect everyone," Wilson replies correctly.

"Only when it comes to Robert and with good reason."

"He's going to be fine. Why do you ask if I saw this girl…Marcy up here?"

"Robert said she was visiting a friend with cancer and was going to stop by and see them before she went to work but left out the back door. As I said suspect."

"Maybe she realized she was late and…what?"

"Whose side are you on?" House snaps as Wilson shakes his head.

"Obviously my own," Wilson counters firmly as he looks at his watch. "Maybe she just likes him. You've said it yourself he's good looking."

"He's pretty," House retorts as Wilson purses his lips. "He is! But he's still mine to protect and I say she's trouble."

"I'll be back later. Want me to put up any wanted posters to alert others?"

"Now you're just being silly," House retorts as Wilson exhales heavily and then takes his leave, telling House he'd keep an eye out for the elusive Aussie blond but was sure it was just an attraction to Robert's good looks and House would be paranoid until the hearing was over later this afternoon.

_He just better go easy on my boy or else!_

XXXXXXXX

"Hey man…what brings you down here?" Bruno inquires as Chase enters the quiet physiotherapy office that same morning.

"I need to wear off some anxiety," Chase answers in truth. "House has prepped me as best he can and told me I would be too distracted to work on real patients today but I can't just sit around and do nothing…I'm going stir crazy," Chase admits with a heavy sigh as Bruno offers his friend an understanding smile. "I know I can't overdo it but what do you suggest to get some of these jitters to go away?"

"Some bouts of fast and regular walking on the treadmill. The fast will wear off the excess adrenaline and the regular will keep your heart from getting too worked up, especially after the allergy attack."

"Today I won't argue," Chase tells Bruno as he drops his small towel and heads for one of the thick mat's to do some stretching and then work off a bit of nervous energy. He tells Bruno about running into Marcy again and how House thinks she's a patsy for Jones and only out to get him.

"Ah next week Dr. House will be back to normal," Bruno retorts as Chase merely arches his brows, forcing Bruno to chuckle and nod in resignation. "Okay so somewhat normal."

"House will always worry."

"Is that bad?"

"I used to be irritated by his constant hovering," Chase starts to explain as the pace on the treadmill. "But now…now I actually miss it when he's distracted or…I don't maybe I'm just getting sentimental in my old age."

"Yeah," Bruno snickers as he tosses a balled up towel at Chase's head. "You're a dinosaur."

Chase laughs as he throws the towel back at Bruno and then gets back to his workout on the treadmill. A half hour later he stops the machine and then heads back to the mat to do some cool down stretches; his body already feeling less tense and less jittery than when he came in.

"Well?"

"Better," Chase answers in truth as he wipes some sweat from his face and then takes a few swigs of cold water; his weary frame slumping down onto the bench as Bruno eases down beside him. "Having him worry about me is comforting but…"

"But what?"

"But he doesn't like it when I worry about him."

"Ah he might not tell you but I'm sure he's happy that you care about him and want to show it. He has no kids of his own right?"

"None."

"He likes it. He's just…"

"Dr. House," both offer at once and then laugh. "Well…" Bruno starts as his next patient enters the room and then heads for the patient changing area. "Okay that's me."

"Will you be there for the hearing?"

"I'll be there for the hearing and then for supper afterward right?"

"Right," Chase nods as he slowly stands up. "I wish it was five already."

"Will be soon enough."

"See you later."

Bruno watches Chase take his leave, not wanting to tell him about his own family issues and that a date had been set for his father's hearing; he'd wait until after today so that Chase only had to concentrate on one issue at a time.

Chase heads back into the staff lounge to change and then try to find something to keep his mind occupied with for the next few hours. But he doesn't have to wait too long. As soon as he steps out of the door, fate intervenes once more.

"Robert?"

"Marcy," Chase replies with a broad smile as he turns to face the familiar feminine voice. "What are you doing here?"

_'She could be a plant from Carlton Jones. He's pulled stunts like this in the past,' _House's voice warns his mind.

"Stopped by to see you," Marcy replies in truth; her mind most interested in learning a few more details about the holiday she overheard him saying he was taking the following week.

"Me, really?" Chase retorts in surprise as Marcy smiles; her fingers making the deliberate action of twirling her hair a certain way.

"Sorry if I put you on the spot but I um…well I wanted to know if you wanted to show me a great place to surf…you know when you're back from your holiday or wherever you're going next week."

"Yeah a small holiday. And think I'd like that. Do you have a board?"

"I will by the time you're back. So where are you going on your holiday?"

"Renting a place in the Hampton's. The beaches are amazing," Chase happily boasts as Marcy tries to offer him a genuine smile.

"Just um…you going? You know alone?" Marcy asks, trying to put on a flirty smile. It works and Chase's face slightly warms before he hears House's voice in his head, snapping him back to reality.

"No not alone. So what kind of cancer does your friend have?" Chase blurts out in haste as Marcy looks at him in surprise. "Sorry.." Chase slightly huffs as he looks at her fingers still deliberately playing with her hair.

"What's going on?"

"No, nothing…just that…what you do with your hair it um…"

"Sorry nervous habit," Marcy smiles as she stops; her hand dropping to her side as Chase's brow frowns.

"It wasn't bad, it just reminded me of someone I knew…long ago."

"Well if it makes you uncomfortable I can try to stop. I gave up smoking so twirling my hair shouldn't be that hard right?"

"Hope so because I don't think the stop twirling your hair support group has much support."

"Yeah the last session was kinda dead. Although the other guy in the room with me was kinda interesting," she retorts; her lame comeback making Chase gently laugh. "I should let you get back work. You still have my number right?"

"And I'm going to use it as soon as I'm back from the Hamptons."

"I'll be here…or…well maybe not right here but around," Marcy tells him in half-truth. Her plan had been to get Chase interested. That was done. Then to string him along a bit. Mission accomplished. Then it was to get him to ask her for coffee where she'd drop a few hints about her tormented past and pray that he takes the bait and then start to unravel her carefully crafted lie about having the same mother and being put up for adoption when he was too young to remember they were from the same mother. After that she hopes he'll bring her more and more into his life as his "sister" and then she'd really lay it on thick, get herself into his will and then see to it that he suddenly dies from a massive but natural reaction to a very innocent little piece of fruit. _Perfect, _her mind smiles evilly.

"I'll call you when I'm back. I have to go."

"Enjoy the rest of your day Robert."

Chase offers her one more smile before he watches Marcy take her leave and head for the elevator. But when Marcy enters the elevator and turns around, her happy smile slightly droops as she notices House coming up behind Chase, Chase not seeing him yet. _That old doctor is always around! Why?_

"Late morning quickie?" House asks in sarcasm as Chase turns around with a dry expression. "Did she offer you any cookies or coffee?"

"No she was visiting her friend and just wanted to say hi. She told me to call her when I get back from the Hamptons."

"You told her you're going to the Hamptons?"

"Not the point," Chase interjects. "She told me to call her – after I was back. So if she was Jones patsy they why would she ask me to call her?"

"Wait and see if the number's still in service after today," House retorts as he pushes past; leaving Chase slightly dumbfounded in the middle of the hallway. Chase gives House a small smirk before he heads for the cafeteria. Wanting to have a bit of a light lunch and have it early so his stomach has a chance to settle before the hearing.

But it's not long before the final hour arrives and he finds himself standing in front of the elevator with House at his side.

"I still want to run away."

"You'll be fine my boy," House whispers, his tender assurance prompting Chase's gaze upward. Chase offers him a grateful smile but says nothing, his heart rating starting to soar and his brain busy focusing on getting his lungs to continue to breathe in a steady, regular pattern.

For a few split seconds, his mind is elated that he's able to take a few steady, normal breaths. But as soon as he pushes the door open and enters the small, courtroom and his eyes lock with the black orbs of Carlton Jones, his heart rate explodes and his stomach instantly tightens; even more so when Jones winks at him. _Damn I get this reaction just looking at him? I might actually did up there, _Chase's mind inwardly groans as he pulls his gaze away and looks at House who's still glaring at Jones.

"Don't let that low life unnerve you. Remember what we talked about," House whispers in Chase's ear as they near Terry Halston.

"Thanks for doing this," Halston tells Chase with a genuine but brief smile. House looks at the middle aged man before him and knows that he too has suffered some physical and emotional ills since being caught on Jones vengeful wake.

"This bastard is out for a quick buck. Don't let his lies unravel you," House tells Halston as Halston thanks him and heads for his seat beside his wife and another doctor.

"At least the media isn't invited," Foreman huffs under his breath as he pushes past House to take his seat by Halston.

Chase watches Wilson and Bruno slip in and take two empty seats along the back wall. But aside from a few witnesses for the family and a few that had also been arranged by Foreman to help defend part of the institution the room was quiet and empty. Chase's mind takes some comfort in the fact that he wouldn't have a million sets of eyes watching him, but as soon as he hears Jones snide comment his agitation can't help but jump.

"I think I'll need a really good strong drink after this," Chase comments as he slowly eases himself down beside House.

"We both will," House replies as both watch the judge take his seat at the small table before them and listen as the rest of the room falls silent.

The judge reads off the reason for them all being there, the lawsuit brought on by the family but silently perpetrated by Carlton Jones. Chase's mind tries frantically to keep his heart rate in check as the clerk for the date of the supposed botched surgery is called to give and overview of the times for the setup, the actual procedure and the recovery period. There wasn't much for Jones to rip apart and the clerk had been called by PPTH to basically verify that facts that were already entered into the system.

The family is up next and basically, anyone with half a brain cell that was functioning could see that it was a puppet show and that Carlton Jones was in charge. But the judge allows him to continue; Jones main line of reasoning was that it was the family's right to sue and seek damages against a man that deliberately killed their beloved family member.

The sinking feeling in the pit of Chase's stomach continues to gain momentum the more he listens to the obviously exaggerated line of defense that Jones is presenting.

"As you can see your honor, this family is still very much wallowing in emotional hell. It is my duty to them to make sure they get the closure they need from this nightmare forced upon them by this…institution."

"Damn I hate that man," Foreman mutters under his breath, drawing both House and Chase's glances in his direction.

"Dr. Halston, you may now take the stand and present your side."

Chase watches Halston sit down and then face the small group with a nearly horrified expression. He reads off his side of what happened, telling the family that he has a perfect medical record, that he always doubled checked the instruments before and during surgical use and that he was more than devastated for their loss.

"Mr. Jones any questions from the family?"

"Oh yes indeed we have a few judge," Jones retorts smugly as he slowly nears the small table that Halston was situated at; Halston looking in dread. "Do you like the Richards family Dr. Halston?"

"What? Yes….sure. I never met them before the surgery though."

"But during that day isn't it true that you were overheard saying that the Richards family is a real pain in my ass and that if they didn't stop badgering you with stupid questions you'd put an end to their questions for good?"

"What? No! That's a preposterous lie!" Halston shoots back in haste as Jones turns and glares at him in; Halston slightly shrinking back.

"Oh you're under oath Dr. Halston. Are you sure those aren't the words you said to your nurse aide, Martha?"

"What? No…she'd never…."

"I have a statement by a registered practicing nurse, Martha Collins testifying to the fact that Dr. Halston did in fact tell her those statements and so maybe his actions during the surgery that day contributed to a less than perfect procedure. Isn't that true!"

"No I'd never let any words interfere with my work!" Halston retorts back; House's face cringing in that moment.

"Damn bastard," House curses under his breath as Jones turns back to Halston with a smile.

"Do you think she really said that?" Chase whispers to House.

"No, it's a lie. I'm sure she's off on leave or something. If it's not in writing, its his word. It's all garbage!" House whispers in an angry hiss.

"So…you did say those words?"

"I never said anything of the kind. Your honor I realize this family has lost someone and that is tragic but the fault lies with the equipment and not with myself or my nurse. I want to see this in writing!"

"It seems you can't handle the truth Dr. Halston."

"I can't do this," Chase whispers as he slightly slinks down in his chair, his heart starting to ache in his chest. "He's twisting around every single word and pretty soon Halston will be so beaten down by Jones lies he'll just agree to it."

"I know," House shakes his head as he looks at Chase in sympathy. "That's how Jones won the last two. This is what he wants."

"What have I done?"

But the time to ask is rendered moot as a visually distraught Jones is helped from the stand and Jones turns around to face the audience with a triumphant smile.

"Who's my next victim…I mean witness," he corrects as Chase's feet suddenly feel like two lead bricks. "Oh don't be shy Dr. Chase. I'll go easy on you," Jones snickers as Chase slowly stands up. "At first."

Chase heads toward the small table, uttering the small oath for the judge and then taking his seat. He keeps his gaze fixed on House for some extra self-assurance but inside his heart is already nearing critical.

"Right here pretty boy," Jones chirps as Chase looks up with an angry scowl. "You ready to get started or are you and daddy not finished with your eye signals?"

Chase feels his teeth grit at Jones condescending comments but looks to see House give him a determined gaze right back and draws strength; his mind trying to calm his heart rate back down a few notches.

"How long have you worked with Dr. Halston?"

"We've been colleagues for five years."

"Colleagues. Sounds so cold."

"We work in different areas and before you ask no I have never assisted on any surgery with Dr. Halston."

"That's nice, if I actually gave a damn," Jones retorts with a small snicker as Chase's brows knit. "How would you describe Dr. Halston?"

"Pardon?"

"How would you describe him? His personality when you have been around him in the last five years?"

"Professional," Chase answers and then stops; House nodding in the audience.

"And after work?"

"We don't hang out…after work."

"Oh really?" Jones turns back to stare down Chase; Chase looking up with a small gulp. "What about the Hamilton retirement party?"

"What?"

"Three years ago. Oh I'm sure you remember."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Chase looks up at the judge and then back at Jones.

"A person's personality doesn't change Dr. Chase. If a person exhibits…let's say prejudicial feelings after hours it's not that easy to just turn them off on the job when faced with people of a certain…"

"Dr. Halston is not racist!" Chase growls as House's agitation for his boy starts to gain some momentum.

"Have you ever seen him take longer with families of certain origins than others?"

"No! And what does this have to do with your false claim that he let someone die because they were black?"

"Ah…" Jones turns back to face Chase; Chase looking at House, House's eyes narrowing at Jones back. "So he did perform less than admirably because he didn't li…"

"The claim was about his surgical skills not…"

"Your ass is in that chair because you're a character witness to the hapless Dr. Halston. You claim he's your friend so you should have no trouble…"

"No he…" Chase gently stammers as his lungs gently heave House looking at him in concern. "Dr. Halston is a dedicated professional and he treats everyone the same."

"As long as he likes them."

"Stop…twisting my words," Chase replies as he quickly swallows; his mind racing to push back the nightmare of him having a massive heart attack right on the stand.

"I am only trying to get to the truth Dr. Chase. Dr. Halston didn't offer my clients the same amount of care because he was incompetent!"

"I thought you said he was racist."

"Is he?" Jones fires back at Chase.

"No…" Chase groans as his brow dampens and his heart starts to ache. "Stop twisting...my words."

"You've just never heard your own lies out loud before Dr. Chase. Tell me do you have any prejudicial feelings?"

"No. Dr. Halston would never intentionally do anything to mar his professional record."

"Well there is a first time for everything Dr. Chase. Why don't we talk about you for a moment here?"

"Me?" Chase asks weakly as he feels his mouth go dry. "Is this allowed?"

"I'm the one asking the damn questions not you," Jones grins as Chase's heart rate continues to climb, a dull ache starting to form in the center of his tight chest.

"I answered…your questions," Chase manages as he tries to find some saliva; his anger and his agitation waging an inner battle inside his super-heated insides. "I'm done."

"You'll leave when I'm done," Jones snaps. "Now…"

Chase's eyes try to blink away some small circles as he tries to think of a comeback that would shut up Carlton Jones for good. But everything his mind tries to come up with; he hears Jones shooting it down or twisting it to suit his own merit. He looks up at House, allowing his soft watery gaze to lock with House's determined eyes – silently pleading for some kind of help. Any kind of help. _Please dad…please help me._

"Now Dr. Chase let's go back to your false statement of t…."

"Objection! Badgering the witness for God's sake!" House's voice bellows. Within a split second, every breath catches and every eye turns and focuses on House. "What's your problem Jones? Welfare isn't paying you enough?"

"Your honor…"

"We've all heard enough of your pathetic lies," House stands up; Wilson looking at him in wonder and Bruno ready to stand up and fight at a moment's notice. "No doubt you have told the poor grieving family here about your cut should the equipment supply company be found at guilt which they naturally will be in a matter of hours."

"Who the hell are you?"

"Dr. House. Now pay attention because you look kinda stupid and I'll only state this once. Your honor, Davidson family. Carlton Jones is nothing but a con artist and a piss poor one at that. He is the one taking advantage of your pain. Did he tell you that the last two cases he brought against this institution were found in favor of the hospital and were in fact the fault of the equipment provider? We are only a few hours away from finding out the real reason for the equipment malfunction but I can bet my ridiculous pay that it comes back in our favor which means he'll take all your money saying he has to pay for his lame ass legal fees and you'll have been dragged to this fiasco for no good reason. You'd think with all the money he's bilked from grieving families he'd at least buy a suit not sold at K-Mart!"

"Look I don't know…"

"Is this true?" Mrs. Davidson pipes up as House looks at her and nods.

"Yes ma'am it is. I am truly sorry for your loss but I can assure you that Dr. Halston is not racist in fact I can prove it right now. Care to show her the picture in your wallet?" House asks firmly.

Dr. Halston's shaky hand pulls out a picture from his wallet and hands it to Mrs. Davidson. "She's my wife."

"So you'll see if Carlton Jones few brain cells actually worked he would have researched better the man he's falsely persecuting instead of sending threatening letters and badgering hard working medical professionals! Now…" House looks at Jones in contempt, "we're done here."

"Now wait just…" Jones tries to protest.

"No! It's your turn to wait!"

This time all eyes turn and focus on Bruno's angry face.

"And who the hell are you?"

"I'm Dr. Chase's best friend. So before you start labelling a bunch of people as racist you better damn well sure you know what you're talkin' about."

"He's with me," House grins as he looks at Chase in concern.

"Mr. Jones, please approach my table."

"Your honor…"

"Now."

House watches with a smug smile as he slowly sits back down at Wilson's side and then looks over at Bruno and nods; Chase slowly removing himself from behind the makeshift witness stand and heading back to House's side. House's hand gives Chase's cold limb a warm squeeze; the look of concern never leaving his face.

Chase feels his stomach wanting to lurch but takes immediate comfort in the warmth House's hand offers his cool skin, his brain ordering his stomach to hold it back until he was able to throw up in private.

About fifteen minutes later; Foreman who had been up talking to the judge and a protesting Jones with new information from the equipment company, heads back to the seat beside Dr. Halston as the judge tells them he's throwing out the case and that if the family wants they can bring proper proceedings against the equipment company under the advisement of a proper lawyer.

"And if I ever see you trying to bring another case against this institution in my presence or any other legal council, Mr. Jones I'll have you disbarred. This case is dismissed."

"But…" Jones tries to protest as Bruno audibly laughs.

"Let's get you out of here," House whispers as he helps Chase slowly stand up; Dr. Halston heading toward them.

"Congratulations Terry," Chase offers softly as he shakes his head.

"Thank you for trying to help and I hope I didn't put you out too much by this."

"I'm okay," Chase offers with a lie that House easily picks up on.

"And thank you Dr. House," Halston looks at House and extends his hand. "For interjecting back there."

House takes his hand and holds it firmly before he speaks a few seconds later. "I didn't do it for you," he states as he offers Dr. Halston a firm nod and then looks at Chase; the concern still etched in his features.

Chase looks at House and offers a smile of gratitude telling himself that the danger was over and now he could just go on holidays and forget about anything that might end his life. He was wrong about the impending threat and his life being in danger. It was only starting to grow and he and House would soon be facing an enemy far more devious, cunning and desperate than Carlton Jones. Their holiday would be the muchly needed break before the gathering storm.

"Let's go," House's hand rests on Chase's back and guides him toward the exit.

_No one will ever hurt my boy as long as I draw breath. No one!_

* * *

**A/N:** So I yes had to get a few more bits of Marcy in there b/c she's always gathering information on Chase and wants to keep herself fresh in his memory and get into his life – which of course she will b/c well she's a very determined baddie hehe but as always have to get some Chase/Bruno in there and some comic relief/worry from House/Wilson and hope you like that I'm keeping up all the friendships as well as of course the main focus of the father/son House/Chase moments! Poor House watching his boy. I hope the hearing was angsty and then got a fist pump into the air when House shut up Jones hehe. Would love your thoughts on this and what might be upcoming for our new family! So please do review before you go and thanks so much!


	6. Some Rest for the Weary

**Title: Fight for the Future  
****Chapter 6 – Some Rest for the Weary**

* * *

As if sensing his boy needs a bit of a break, House whispers to Wilson that they'd meet him and Bruno at the restaurant, to go on ahead and that Chase just needs a few moments of quiet privacy and they'd be along. And it's a gesture that Chase doesn't fight as he allows himself to be led into the private handicapped washroom; slowly heading for the sink as House locks the door and then turns to help.

Chase bends over to the sink, splashing his face with cold water, closing his eyes and trying to get his heart rate to come back down to a normal rate. "He…just…wanted…" Chase tries to formulate a sentence between ragged gasps as House's hand rests on his back, stopping his speech and making him look up with a heavy frown. "He wanted…me to die!"

"It might have seemed that way but it wasn't personal," House replies softly as Chase bends down once more, close his eyes and letting the cool water soothe his flushed face and warm brow. "Just take a few deep breaths and don't talk for a few seconds," House tenderly instructs as Chase closes his eyes once more and concentrates on breathing.

Finally he stands up and takes the few dry soft clothes that House is offering and gently dries his face and leans against the cool tiled wall.

"Would it have mattered what I said?"

"It wouldn't have mattered what anyone would have said," House answers in truth. "That's Jones MO. He'll take whatever you say and twist it around to suit himself. He devours everyone."

"I said nothing wrong."

"You did nothing wrong. Neither did Halston. Jones is a prick and his only game, ever, was to intimidate, humiliate and make sure whatever you said he could make a joke of. Yes in the past most would have been weak and just given in. Poor Halston, was already so beaten down by Jones pre-hearing tactics and pondering the consequences of what he thought were his own actions that he gave in a bit easier. Jones real target was Halston but he was determined to undermine anyone who came up against him – and that, my boy, included you. But we'll never have to see him here again; he's finished. This time he was up against a judge that didn't give…"

"He was up against you," Chase simply states as House's brow softens. "That's the real reason he lost."

"This time I had a real reason to see him shot down – for good."

"So Foreman…your job…your employer…"

"Means jack next to family," House replies with a grin as Chase's lips offer a friendly smile also. "Hated to see my boy up there in distress because of that idiot."

"Was almost afraid I'd have that heart attack."

"You did pretty good considering what you were up against."

"I had good training."

"Ah…yes you did," House retorts with a boastful grin as Chase's head gently shakes; his eyes closing briefly before opening once more. "Do you want to throw up?"

"No. I'm just…agitated. But I want to go out for dinner. I don't want Jones to win in any way tonight. We can still go right?" Chase asks eagerly as House nods in agreement.

"Think you've earned it," House tells him warmly. "But I will call it off if you're not feeling well."

"I want to go out. I just won't drink…much," Chase mentions sheepishly.

"Okay then we'll go. But if you feel tired you tell me when to go and we'll leave that moment."

Chase looks at House with a tender gaze that conveys appreciation and gratitude. "But I'm buying."

"Like hell you are," House retorts as Chase's brow furrows heavily. "Tonight we are taking you out."

"We won because of you."

"I'm buying dinner, end of discussion."

"Okay," Chase concludes with a small smirk as playfully swats his ass with his cane.

"Come on…let's go."

The two of them exit the bathroom, slowly heading toward the elevators to go down to the underground parking lot, talking about the case and what would happen to Halston and Jones. However, what they fail to realize is they are now being watched. Again.

Marcy's eyes narrow as she watches House's hand rest somewhat protectively on Chase's back as he gently pushes him away from an ensuing scuffle; something that a natural father might do by instinct. _He's not his father! What's the connection? _She watches the elevator stop at Parking Level 1 and hurries down, pulling on her motorcycle helmet to shield her face from recognition as she follows them. _Now where are they going? After work drink?_

Just before the doors to the car close, she picks up the friendly laughter, something amusing shared between two colleagues before the doors are closed and silence ensues for a few seconds before the motor starts up and it's time to move. She had heard a few rumblings about the hearing but since it was closed wasn't allowed inside, so hadn't witnessed House standing up for Chase in a very defensive manner – not seeing exactly what kind of opponent she'd be up against.

Her bike falls into place a few car lengths from where House and Chase finally stop, her mind wondering what was going on. But she doesn't have to wait to find out. _Dinner together Friday night? Why a….wait…_her mind stops pondering as she notices Wilson and Bruno also arriving at the same time, the four of them standing outside chatting before all going into the quaint little Japanese restaurant. _Damn! So they are all closer than I thought! Well…I've faced formidable odds before…this just means a bit more work getting to my reward. But I shall get it! Robert Chase will die and I will get his inheritance!_

XXXXXXXX

"Is he okay?" Wilson asks House in an undertone, nodding at Chase as he stands talking to Bruno.

"He will be after a good night's sleep not thinking about what's his face," House retorts in truth as Wilson nods. "Hated to see him floundering up there."

"Putting that loud mouthed jerk in his place was the right thing to do," Wilson remarks as House's head slightly cocks to the right. "What? Jones is a jerk."

"Usually you're the PC one."

"You would have preferred the word ass?"

"No that one's reserved for me," House grins as Wilson's head slightly shakes. "Jones is an ass but now an unemployed ass."

"That's a relief," Wilson mentions as the hostess walks up to them.

"Man for a moment there I thought you weren't coming," Bruno tells Chase in concern.

"I just needed a few moments right afterward as I felt I was going to throw up. Thankfully I didn't."

"Damn that guy was intense!" Bruno exclaims softly as he walks behind Chase toward their private booth. "I felt for ya man I really did. I wanted to pound him for his stupid racist comments."

"House told me that he's said worse in other hearings."

"How's he even still practicing?"

"Doubt it'll be for very long," Chase replies with a small shrug as they near the traditional Japanese eating booth and start to remove their shoes. "Glad House was there."

"Yeah me too. Can I borrow him for my dad's hearing?" Bruno tosses back just as the waitress nears them. Chase looks at his friend with slightly widening eyes, his brows arching into a soft question as he realizes that he's been so caught up with his own professional troubles that he forgot to ask about his friend's personal ones.

"Bruno…"

"Tell you about it later, it's no big deal," Bruno tries to assure Chase in a quite tone as the four of them enter the booth and then each sit at one end and reach for their menu's.

"Dinner's on Wilson," House declares in haste as Wilson looks over with a slightly scolding frown.

"You should be used to that by now," Bruno pipes up; forcing House and Chase to utter some soft laughter at their friend's expense as Wilson shakes his head at Bruno.

"Actually dinner's on me," House interjects as three faces look at him for validation.

"House…"

"It's to celebrate the demise of Carlton Jones," House holds up his glass. "Victory never tasted so sweet," he grins as three glasses clink with his before they all take a drink and offer small replies of agreement. The each write on the small paper their order, something for just them and then a dish to share with the group. Chase finishes his glass of sparkling water and then orders himself a small glass of Saki, wanting to have one small drink but not overdue it as Carlton Jones wasn't worth ruining his health over.

For the next few hours, the four of them slowly enjoyed eating a variety of items, each of them taking turns to order a "surprise" round for the table and then seeing who could guess it right just after one bite. The winner would then be able to choose the next round for the table. Bruno was the happy loser getting to pick the final round – something he didn't mind. The mood overall is light, friendly, happy and none of them giving a moment's pause to the danger that was facing them all – waiting to strike.

"I want to be there for the hearing. Promise me you'll tell me when it is," Chase talks to Bruno in an undertone as they get ready to leave.

"I give you my word. I just didn't want to bother you with all that during the hearing."

"It's never a bother but I have nothing else to worry about now," Chase tries to assure Bruno.

"Okay. Thanks man. I do appreciate it."

Finally when they were all too tired to eat anymore, they leave the restaurant, each going their separate ways, but promising to reunite a few nights later at the beach House in the Hampton's for some sun, surf and of course enjoyable relaxation.

"Hope I sleep well tonight," Chase mentions with a small yawn as they exit their car and head for the elevator that would take them up to their shared apartment.

"I hope so too," House replies in concern. "You looked like hell this past week."

"Had reason to."

"But no more. The danger is past and now only smooth sailing," House tries to convince them as they enter their quiet home. Chase offers a soft goodnight before he literally trudges toward his bedroom to change and then collapse. After he's ready for bed, House quietly tip-toes toward Chase's bedroom, offering his boy a small smirk at his askew position on the bed and gently rearranging him; Chase's lips offering a small moan but never fully awakens.

Wanting to make sure that Chase gets an even better night's sleep, House quietly sets up the relaxation DVD, presses play and then tiptoes back out, closing the door most of the way and praying that his beloved boy gets a full night's sleep. And for the most part…the plan works.

XXXXXXXX

The next morning Chase rolls over and looks at the clock and smiles as his body stretches and then quickly recoils under the warm covers. He hears the relaxation music and can't help but feel a new wave of contentment wash over him as he realizes that House did that to ensure that he gets a really good night's sleep. There was one time during the night that his mind had offered him something anguished but thanks to the music he was able to find a happy memory and hold on to it and settle back in for the rest of the night.

"So I see Debbie got my boy through the night," House grins as Chase slowly stumbles into the kitchen, gratefully taking the strong, dark coffee that House was offering.

"Oh yes I dreamt her and I were surfing. Naked," he snickers as he takes a sip. "Wonder why that is."

"Because daddy always knows best."

"You just like to say that," Chase retorts as House hands him a small plate of fruit; nodding in the process.

They talk about the fun night before, Chase telling House that he's glad he went and how happy he felt afterward. Terry had texted him during dinner last night to once again thank him and that he got an email from Foreman confirming that it indeed was faulty equipment and since this had happened before with the same company, the same judge and with Jones as the legal ringleader a separate investigation was now being conducted with the equipment company and they'd be going to a new one – hopefully to prevent future, preventable tragedies.

"See Foreman is useful sometimes," House states after Chase reads his text to House as they sit around the kitchen table, relaxing during breakfast.

"I'm sure he'd be very happy to hear you say that," Chase tosses back in sarcasm. "So what time do we leave?"

"On Monday?"

"Monday but I thought…not today?" Chase asks weakly as House shakes his head. "But I thought…oh bugger," Chase gently curses as he realizes he's been duped by House into making a pout.

"The last few days have been sad pouts. Not as much fun as these pouts."

"You've documented the different types of pouts?" Chase counters with a small groan as House nods and grins.

"Yup," House replies firmly. "My favorite is when there is no more Nutella left."

"I don't like dry toast," Chase protests with another small pout as House smiles and refills his coffee mug.

"We'll leave when we're ready…which can be as soon as the coffee is done and so are the dishes," House answers Chase in truth. "No agenda for the next week. Just pack and go and have a great time." But House can only laugh when he watches Chase get up from his chair and start to hastily clean the dishes off.

"Slow down before you die on the way to the beach and your board becomes a bier," House gently snickers as he latches onto Chase's arm before he can guzzle the rest of his coffee. "We'll get there while the sun is still up."

"No harm in trying to beat the traffic," Chase lightly quips as he takes a normal sip of his coffee and sits back down into the kitchen seat opposite House.

"It's Saturday…there's always traffic any time of the day," House reminds him in truth as he takes the last swallow of his coffee and then places the mug back onto the table. "Let's get the dishes done."

The two of them work at the dishes and then when the kitchen is finally cleaned head into their respective bedrooms to pack some things for the coming week. Chase places a few pairs of shorts into his suitcase and then pauses as he remembers packing a few things for the trip to Melbourne – alone. But it was a trip that he had to take, whereas this one is one that he wants to take. And the fact that House had gone ahead and booked the week as a special surprise makes his heart swell in ways he never even imagined.

Once they're done packing, each of them takes turns bringing the suitcases down to the car, followed by some food that they wanted to finish off, some items for entertainment and of course Chase's surfboard.

"After we unpack and set everything up, we'll hit the beach for a few hours but then there's a great place about a twenty minute walk down the beach to the wharf that sells fresh off the boat seafood that we'll have for dinner."

"A real New England seafood feast?"

"Not just lobster?"

"Oh where's the fun in that?" Chase retorts with a smirk as House locks the apartment and they finally head down to the car to hit the road and get their vacation started. "Well then I hope there's a place that sells corn, potatoes and sausage."

"I think you'll find all of that and more," House answers as Chase pulls out a piece of paper and starts to make a list of things to get for their fresh seafood feast.

However, unbeknownst to them, as soon as they pull into traffic, they have a set of determined eyes watching them intently.

_What the hell? They do live together? And vacation together? _Marcy's mind starts to ponder as she her eyes narrow beneath the motorcycle helmet. She follows them at a discreet distance wondering what the connection really is. _They don't act like lovers…they're more than just colleagues…friends? but…no no…Robert Chase is the son…the only son of Rowan Chase…the deceased millionaire! Maybe he rents from the older doctor? Or…oh damn I need to find out! Is Dr. House a threat to my plan to get Robert's money? Do I need to take him out? _

Marcy follows them all the way to the Hamptons, hanging back as she watches them pull up to a million dollar home and disappear through the large security gate. She makes quick note of the street and address before pulling away in the hopes of looking for a way to scope out the House from another angle without being seen. _If they are spending a week there then I'll be here too…just out of sight._

So while Marcy tries to find an appropriate place to spy on Chase and House from; the two of them start to unload the car.

"What's wrong?" House asks as he comes up behind Chase who had stopped short in the entranceway to the quiet, immaculate home.

"It's just so…can we move in?" Chase retorts as House offers him a grin as he heads past with a grin, disappearing into the kitchen with a two bags of groceries.

"Have you checked the view!" House calls out as Chase finally forces himself back to reality and walks into the living room, the two of them looking at the large picture window overlooking a small deck the golden sand, blue ocean and gently lapping white capped waves.

"Wow," Chase whispers as he looks at the modest waves, his mind already picturing himself on his board, riding the waves and leaving the rest of the world behind. "I want to forget Carlton Jones."

"You will. Come on let's unload the rest of this stuff and then get out and there and test out the waters."

"How does he afford this?"

"He's married to a Neurosurgeon."

"But he's also a…"

"That's how they can afford a place like this," House retorts as Chase's face offers House a goofy grin.

Chase puts the rest of the groceries in the fridge and then hurries to his room to put on his shorts and a short sleeved button down shirt and then hurries for the patio, opening the door and literally jumping over the manicured wooden railing and onto the hot sand.

"WOOOO HOOOO!"

House hears Chase's happy shout as he heads toward the large glass sliding doors, also dressed in shorts and a short sleeved button down shirt; watching Chase with a growing smile as the younger man pulls off his shirt, leaves it on the sandy shores and races into the water, plunging into the waves, disappearing for a few seconds before jumping up with both arms outstretched upward.

House picks up Chase's shirt and then eases himself down onto a rock watching with delight as Chase's arms outstretch and he plunges backward into the pounding surf.

"How's the water?" House asks as Chase walks toward him dripping wet, shaking his head, sending droplets of water onto House and making the older man pick up a handful of sand and tosses at Chase as he flops down onto the hot, course sand.

"Water…is perfect," Chase gushes as he props himself up on his elbows and stares out at the water as the waves gently lap onto shore a few meters from his feet.

House looks down and notices Chase's chest slightly heaving and frowns as his hand gently rests on Chase's forehead.

"House…"

"You've just come off a week of hell…that included an overnight stay in the ER I might add."

"That was due to anaphylaxis and not stress," Chase tries to argue back as he pulls his elbows out from under him and flops back down onto the sand on his back looking up at House with a small frown. "You want me to surf tomorrow right?"

"I want you to relax and enjoy yourself and do whatever you want to do but I also want you to take it easy and right now you just need to lie here and enjoy the sun a bit longer."

Chase can't argue with House's concern as his heart was racing a bit faster than he had wanted but he knows if he was alone he'd just push past that and probably pass out in the water and possibly drown. But with House watching over him, he feels inside he can push himself a bit harder.

Then without saying another word, Chase pushes himself back up and races back into the water, jumping in and disappearing under the waves as House watches with a happy smile. Of course he had to voice his concern because he cared too much about Robert Chase to just watch him enjoy himself and then come back onto the beach and die of a heart attack right before his eyes. He would never allow that.

House goes back into the beach home and comes back out with a small beach chair and book and settles in to read while his boy plays in the surf. Tomorrow he'd let Chase spend the entire day surfing; using his board to his hearts delight.

"Now…I think I'm done," Chase gently pants as he once again shakes short wet locks, sending water droplets spraying onto House as he just looks up with an amused grin.

"You're officially a prune," House comments in truth as Chase nods and then rolls onto his back and looks up with a lazy grin. "Rest up a bit in the sun and then we'll walk down the beach."

"Sounds…wonderful," Chase replies as his hands pick up some sand and start to just play with it, watching most of it slide through his wet fingers. House snickers as Chase tries to get all the wet sand off his fingers but is unable and then looks up with a mock pout.

"Wet sand pout…that's a new one," House smiles as Chase finally sits back up.

The two of them talk a bit longer before they head back inside where Chase dries and then rejoins House in the kitchen where they set up a few things they'd use for later and then head outside, each of them taking a cotton shopping bag with them on their shopping journey down to the boardwalk.

"Brings back good memories," Chase mentions as they near the start of the boardwalk where the little open air market starts.

"Melbourne?" House inquires as Chase nods in confirmation. "At least you're walking better now."

"And free of stress," Chase adds with a warm smile. "I didn't have that in Melbourne."

"You had some," House reminds him in a softer tone. "But now you're free of that monster and free of Jones and the week ahead will be for me to spoil my boy," House smiles as he directs Chase to a booth with fresh cheese spreads mixed with herbs and edible flowers.

"Goat cheese with…this is edible?" Chase looks from House to the vendor. "What is this?"

"Pansy flower."

"We'll take the yellow. Like a ducky, it's his favorite," House grins as Chase's face gently flushes. "My boy likes duckies," House smirks as he hands the vendor his money.

"AH that's okay…my old man teases me in public also," he hands Chase the bag with food in it. "Have a good one."

Chase looks at the cheeses and then up at House and shakes his head.

"You remembered to pack ducky right?"

"Couldn't leave him at home all by himself," Chase smiles as his mind pictures his ducky sitting on the dresser at home waiting for him. "So what do we have with the cheese? Or…oh House look at this…" Chase's voice trails off as he veers to the left at a vendor offering freshly baked breads.

"Perfect choice!" House agrees readily.

They purchase some fresh baguettes and then head to another vendor that sells some specialty cured meats and olives and then to one had a box of just grilled veggies that only needed to be warmed. Then it was on to the seafood area.

"I love the smell," Chase exclaims as House can't help but agree. They head for the first fisherman who wasn't selling anything but was just pulling his fresh catch off his boat. They both watch in fascination and talk to the seasoned fisherman before heading down a few more stalls on the wharf.

"Here we are…the best lobster on the eastern seaboard."

"Why yes it is," the older man greets them with a smile as he shakes House's hand and then Chase's. "What can I get you boys?"

"It's a treat for my boy…so whatever he wants, he gets."

At first Chase freezes, wondering if House was just joking with the older man, perhaps saying that in sarcasm. But as he forces himself to listen to the genuine tenderness in House's tone and then gazes upon the look of fatherly tenderness on House's face he knows his words are truth. All his life his father never did anything like this for him…never watched over him with such loving concern…never arranged a surprise week that would allow him to do whatever _he _wanted…never so openly called him 'my boy' to strangers and never made him feel like he mattered. House was doing all that and he was once again at a loss for words to expression his appreciation.

"Alright…"

"Robert," he answers softly.

"Robert," the older man claps him on the back. "Come and pick out supper."

"Okay…I'll take this one…and that one…" Chase points to two large, fresh lobsters.

"You have a good eye for the best."

"My boy likes to eat," House retorts as Chase's lips break into a wide grin.

"Alright…anything else?"

"Well…my…_dad_," Chase mentions with some hesitation as House's eyes lift from what he was looking at rest on the younger man a few feet away. Much like Chase earlier, House's mind now revels in hearing Chase use the fatherly title in public…around strangers. A bit hesitant at first but his face full of genuine happiness. Endearing to his heart in ways he never imagined. "He likes fresh prawns."

"Ah…well take a look at these."

House watches Chase follow the older man to another container, his warm aquamarine eyes lighting up at whatever he was looking at and then excitedly ordering enough to go along with their feast. After they had all their fresh groceries they slowly head back to their home for the next week, delighting in the warm, salty air, enjoying the sights and each other's company, talking about the area and what their dinner was going to consist of.

"I'll prep the barbeque," Chase volunteers as they reach their home, House taking the groceries into the kitchen as Chase heads onto the deck. He starts to clean the barbeque; House joining him on the deck with a bottle of white wine and two large glasses.

"To a week of family and fun," Chase offers as he holds up his glass.

"Now I'll drink to that," House smiles as he clinks Chase's glass and both take a sip of the sparkling liquid. "And no stress."

"No...stress…now I'll really drink to that," Chase grins as he takes another gulp.

_Just what is their connection? _Marcy's mind wonders as she watches them hovering over the barbeque. She had managed to secure a small rental place down the beach and while she couldn't hear anything and could only see outside in a few places it would give her enough reason this week to realize just how close Robert Chase and Dr. House are, forcing her to up her revenge plot – amending a few details that might have to include the older doctor if he insisted in not stepping aside and letting her achieve her goal – killing Robert Chase and taking his money.

_No one will stop me. No one! Not even you Dr. House…_

* * *

**A/N:** eeks! Hehe okay so had to get some fun times in here for our pair and especially for Chase after all he's been through, poor guy. Did you like their dinner out? Had to set up some Bruno angst for when Chase gets back b/c I wanted to carry on that storyline a bit to add a few more details and hope that's okay. but of course Marcy is always there and the more she sees House and Chase so close the more she realizes her simple revenge plan might need a bit of work. Think she'll interfere on the muchly needed holiday? Or just plot and lie in wait? Please do review before you go and thanks so much!


End file.
